Pennsylvania Dutch Co. v. Pennsylvania Amish Co.

63 Pa. D. & C.2d 702, 1973 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 368
Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Cumberland County·Decided July 9, 1973·No. No. 2; no. 2·Published

Opinion

WEIDNER, J.,

— As will be shown, it is the opinion of this court that defendant’s motion for summary judgment must be denied. Before discussing the basis of this opinion, however, a few comments concerning certain matters raised in briefs and at argument by counsel are necessary.

Plaintiff’s counsel urges that defendant’s motion for summary judgment be summarily dismissed as not having been timely filed in accordance with the provisions of Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1035(a). Rule 1035(a) states:

“After the pleadings are closed, but within such time as not to delay trial, any party may move for summary judgment on the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, admissions on file and supporting affidavits, if any.”

Authority does exist to support a denial of defendant’s motion should the trail actually be delayed: McHenry v. Welding, 179 Pa. Superior Ct. 358 (1955); Lazor v. Falor, 118 Pitts. L. J. 299 (1970). It must be noted in this case, however, that the motion for sum[704]*704mary judgment has had the opposite effect of accelerating the placing of this case on the trial list. The resulting effect on the scheduling of the case makes plaintiff’s contention moot.

Plaintiff’s counsel also contends that testimony presented at the preliminary injunction hearing cannot be considered by this court in its ruling on a motion for summary judgment. This contention appears to be based on the fact that nowhere in Rule 1035(b), which defines the scope of information available for consideration by the trial court in its ruling on a motion for summary judgment, do the words “testimony taken at a preliminary injunction hearing” specifically appear. In addition, Pennsylvania case law indicates a general unwillingness to venture too far outside of the scope defined in Rule 1035(b). See generally Michigan Bank v. Steensen, 211 Pa. Superior Ct. 405 (1967); Toth v. Philadelphia, 213 Pa. Superior Ct. 282 (1968).

Reliance on Pennsylvania case law interpretation of Pa. R.C.P. 1035(b) is deceptively fatal. Pa. R.C.P. 1035(b) is modeled after Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(c). Accordingly, our interpretation of Rule 1035(b) can be guided by the Federal courts interpretation of essentially the same language in the Federal rule: Schacter v. Albert, 212 Pa. Superior Ct. 58 (1968). Testimony taken at a preliminary injunction hearing is considered part of the record, and hence, utilized in ruling on a motion for summary judgment by the Federal courts. In the case of Harris v. International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1291, 210 F. Supp. 4 (E.D. Pa., 1962), affirmed, 321 F. 2d 801 (3rd cir., 1963), the court made specific mention that testimony produced at earlier hearings held on motions for preliminary injunctions was considered in granting a motion for summary judgment. In ruling that testimony taken at a preliminary injunction hear[705]*705ing can be considered by a trial court in its ruling on a motion for summary judgment, we do not mean to imply that such testimony can in all cases form the sole basis for a decision on a motion for summary judgment. We do agree with plaintiff that a decision on a motion for summary judgment which is based solely on a preliminary injunction hearing, which, in turn, is not conclusive on the issues, is erroneous and must not be allowed to stand: Progress Development Corp. v. Mitchell, 286 F. 2d 222 (7th cir., 1961).

The decision in this instance is not based solely on testimony presented at the preliminary injunction hearing, although this testimony was considered in reaching this determination. The decision is also predicated upon the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories and answers on file.

It is well-established law in Pennsylvania that a motion for summary judgment should not be granted unless the case is clear and free from all doubts. A summary judgment may not be entered where there is a disputed question of fact which is material to the disposition of the case: Ryan v. Furey, 437 Pa. 96, 102 (1970). On a motion for summary judgment, in determining whether or not a genuine issue as to any material fact exists, the court must take that view of the evidence most favorable to, the party against whom the motion is directed, giving to that party the benefit of all inferences that might reasonably be drawn from the evidence. The burden of proving the absence of any factual issue of material importance is thereby placed on the moving party: Moore v. Zimmerman, 221 Pa. Superior Ct. 359, 360 (1972).

As the moving party, defendant in this case contends that no material factual issues exist and, therefore, its motion for summary judgment must be granted. Defendant directs our attention to a line of [706]*706cases dealing with unfair competition and deceptively similar trade names and trade marks. See Kellogg Co. v. National Biscuit Co., 305 U.S. 111 (1938); Jessar Manufacturing Corporation v. Berlin, 380 Pa. 453 (1955); Quaker State Oil Refining Co. v. Steinberg, 325 Pa. 273 (1937). These cases very adequately state the law in Pennsylvania with respect to trade names and trade marks that are confusingly similar.

In order to prove that plaintiff is entitled to relief from the courts from a competing use by defendant, plaintiff must prove that it has a legal right to the exclusive use of the trade name or mark in question. Plaintiff must also establish that defendant is using a name or mark confusingly similar to plaintiff’s name or mark, and that defendant’s use of the name or mark has caused, or is likely to cause, confusion in plaintiff’s competitive area. In order to have an exclusive right to the use of common, generic, descriptive or geographic word, like Pennsylvania Dutch, Dutch or Amish, plaintiff must prove that the name has taken a secondary meaning. Secondary meaning encompasses the situation where people in the trade or purchasing public come to think of a word or name as standing for the business of a particular owner: Kellogg supra; Zimmerman v. Holiday Inns of America, Inc., 438 Pa. 528 (1970). In addition, defendant directs us to Restatement, Torts, §729, which affords an objective standard for determining deceptive similarity in names and complimentary marketing practices: Goebel Brewing Co. v. Esslingers, Inc., 373 Pa. 334 (1953).

Relying on this line of cases, defendant correctly states that since the terms “Pennsylvania Dutch” and “Pennsylvania Amish” are terms of common usage, plaintiff must prove a secondary meaning in order to have exclusive rights in these terms. Considering the [707]*707admissions of record, defendant also correctly points out that the term “Pennsylvania Dutch” identifies many things other than plaintiff. This is also conceded by plaintiff. To these admissions, defendant couples what it terms an apparent inability on the part of plaintiff to establish the requisite secondary meaning. Accordingly, it would then logically follow that no factual issue of material importance exists and the motion must be granted.

Defendant’s arguments are very persuasive. However, they deal with only one aspect of plaintiff’s complaint.

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Pennsylvania Dutch Co. v. Pennsylvania Amish Co., 63 Pa. D. & C.2d 702, 1973 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 368 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1973).

63 Pa. D. & C.2d 702 (Pennsylvania Dutch Co. v. Pennsylvania Amish Co.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Kellogg Co. v. National Biscuit Co.
305 U.S. 111 (Supreme Court, 1938)
Goebel Brewing Co. v. Esslingers, Inc.
95 A.2d 523 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1953)
Ryan v. FUREY
262 A.2d 305 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1970)
Schacter v. Albert
239 A.2d 841 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1968)
Dutch Pantry, Inc. v. Shaffer
151 A.2d 621 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1959)
Jessar Manufacturing Corp. v. Berlin
110 A.2d 396 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1955)
Moore v. Zimmerman
292 A.2d 458 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1972)
Michigan Bank v. Steensen
236 A.2d 565 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1967)
Quaker State Oil Refining Co. v. Steinberg
189 A. 473 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1936)
Zimmerman v. Holiday Inns of America, Inc.
266 A.2d 87 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1970)
McHenry v. Welding
116 A.2d 340 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1955)
Toth v. Philadelphia
247 A.2d 629 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1968)
Harris v. International Longshoremen's Ass'n
210 F. Supp. 4 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1962)