Overseas Direct Import Co. v. Family Dollar Stores Inc.

929 F. Supp. 2d 296, 2013 WL 979425, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 35684
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedMarch 13, 2013
DocketNo. 10 Civ. 4919 (JGK)
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 929 F. Supp. 2d 296 (Overseas Direct Import Co. v. Family Dollar Stores Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Overseas Direct Import Co. v. Family Dollar Stores Inc., 929 F. Supp. 2d 296, 2013 WL 979425, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 35684 (S.D.N.Y. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

JOHN G. KOELTL, District Judge:

This is a case primarily about alleged infringements of trademarks and copyrights in the packaging for men’s thermal underwear. The plaintiff, Overseas Direct Import Co., Ltd. (“ODI”), brought this lawsuit against the defendants, Family Dollar Stores Inc. (“FDS”) and Prestige Global Co., Ltd. (“Prestige”). The plaintiff alleges primarily that the defendants have infringed the plaintiffs intellectual property rights in certain marks and artwork for packaging for men’s thermal underwear. FDS has filed a counterclaim for breach of contract in which it contends that ODI failed to pay for certain duties assessed by United States Customs (“Customs”) that FDS was obligated to assume. The defendants now move for partial summary judgment.

I.

The standard for granting summary judgment is well established. “The court shall grant summary judgment if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a); see also Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). “[T]he trial court’s task at the summary judgment motion stage of the litigation is carefully limited to discerning whether there are any genuine issues of material fact to be tried, not to deciding them. Its duty, in short, is confined at this point to issue-finding; it does not extend to issue-resolution.” Gallo v. Prudential Residential Servs. Ltd. P’ship, 22 F.3d 1219, 1224 (2d Cir.1994). The moving party bears the initial burden of “informing the district court of the basis for its motion” and identifying the matter that “it believes demonstrate^] the ab[300]*300sence of a genuine issue of material fact.” Celotex, 477 U.S. at 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548. The substantive law governing the case will identify the material facts and “[o]nly disputes over facts that might affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law will properly preclude the entry of summary judgment.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).

In determining whether summary judgment is appropriate, the Court must resolve all ambiguities and draw all reasonable inferences against the moving party. See Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986) (citing United States v. Diebold, Inc., 369 U.S. 654, 655, 82 S.Ct. 993, 8 L.Ed.2d 176 (1962)); see also Gallo, 22 F.3d at 1223. Summary judgment is improper if there is any evidence in the record from any source from which a reasonable inference could be drawn in favor of the non-moving party. See Chambers v. TRM Copy Ctrs. Corp., 43 F.3d 29, 37 (2d Cir.1994).

If the moving party meets its burden, the burden shifts to the nonmoving party to bring forward “specific facts showing a genuine issue for trial.” Ovesen v. Mitsubishi Heavy Indus. of Am., Inc., No. 04 Civ. 2849, 2012 WL 677953, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 1, 2012) (citation omitted). The non-moving party must produce evidence in the record and “may not rely simply on conclusory statements or on contentions that the affidavits supporting the motion are not credible.” Ying Jing Gan v. City of N.Y., 996 F.2d 522, 532 (2d Cir.1993); see also Scotto v. Almenas, 143 F.3d 105, 114-15 (2d Cir.1998) (collecting cases); Ovesen, 2012 WL 677953, at *1; see also Pelayo v. Port Auth., 893 F.Supp.2d 632, 634-36 (S.D.N.Y.2012).

II.

The following facts are undisputed unless otherwise noted.

A.

The defendant, FDS, operates retail stores that sell, among other items, men’s thermal underwear. (Defs.’ Rule 56.1 Statement (“56.1 Stmt.”) ¶ 1.) The plaintiff, ODI, operates a business that merchandises products for other companies. (Lewis Decl., Ex. E (“M. Kassin Dep.”) at 15-17.) FDS began purchasing packages of men’s thermal underwear from ODI in or about 1996. (56.1 Stmt. ¶ 4.) Between 2004 and 2010, several vendors supplied FDS with packages of men’s thermal underwear, including ODI and Prestige. (56.1 Stmt. ¶ 3.) In 2008, FDS ceased using ODI as a vendor. (56.1 Stmt. ¶ 16; M. Kassin Dep. at 152.)

B.

The gravamen of ODI’s primary claims is that FDS and Prestige violated ODI’s intellectual property rights in packaging for men’s thermal underwear. ODI claims that its “package always contained ODI’s trademarks, trade dress, and copyrightable subject matter.” (Pl.’s Counterstatement to Defs.’ Rule 56.1 Statement of Material Facts (“Counterstmt.”) ¶ 5.)

In 2003, ODI changed the mark on its thermal underwear packages from “Rugged Territory” to “Rugged Wilderness,” and updated the “Trees Design” on its men’s thermal underwear packages. (56.1 Stmt. ¶¶ 6-7; M. Kassin Dep. at 35.) ODI claims that it continues to use the “Rugged Territory” mark on packages sold to other customers. (Counterstmt. ¶ 8; see Kassin Decl. ¶ 5.) However, in his deposition, Michael Kassin admitted that ODI ceased offering “Rugged Territory” packaging once ODI switched to “Rugged Wilderness” packaging. (M. Kassin Dep. [301]*301at 38, 75.) In 2003, FDS ceased using the “Rugged Territory” mark on the packages of men’s thermal underwear sold in its stores. (56.1 Stmt. ¶ 19.)

C.

In December 2002, ODI filed a trademark application for “Rugged Wilderness.” (56.1 Stmt. ¶ 14; Lewis Deck, Ex. J.; M. Kassin Dep. at 31.) In 2003, counsel prosecuting ODI’s trademark application for “Rugged Wilderness” informed Michael Kassin of ODI that the Patent and Trademark Office had issued a Notice of Allowance for “Rugged Wilderness” and required submission of a “Statement of Use” with a filing fee and specimen of the trademarked product for final approval. (Lewis Deck, Ex. S.) The trademark for “Rugged Wilderness” issued in 2005. (56.1 Stmt. ¶ 15; M. Kassin Dep. at 31.)

The defendants contend that FDS ceased using the “Rugged Wilderness” mark in 2007. (56.1 Stmt. ¶ 20.) There is evidence that in 2007 FDS began displaying the “Highland Outfitters” mark on its men’s thermal underwear packages. (M. Kassin Dep. at 68; Kassin Deck, Ex. J at FD 001813.) Mr. Dromms of FDS testified that when he began working at FDS the men’s thermal underwear packages bore the name, “Rugged Wilderness,” and when he left FDS the packages bore the name, “Highland Outfitters.” (Lewis Deck, Ex. B (“Dromms Dep.”) at 29.)

On April 30, 2010, ODI filed applications seeking to register copyrights for the “Tree Design for Rugged Territory,” and “Tree Design for Rugged Wilderness,” (“Tree Designs”) listing ODI as the author of all rights in the works.

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Bluebook (online)
929 F. Supp. 2d 296, 2013 WL 979425, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 35684, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/overseas-direct-import-co-v-family-dollar-stores-inc-nysd-2013.