Victoria's Cyber Secret Ltd. Partnership v. v Secret Catalogue, Inc.

161 F. Supp. 2d 1339, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14834, 2001 WL 1110493
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedSeptember 10, 2001
Docket01-1095-CIV
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 161 F. Supp. 2d 1339 (Victoria's Cyber Secret Ltd. Partnership v. v Secret Catalogue, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Victoria's Cyber Secret Ltd. Partnership v. v Secret Catalogue, Inc., 161 F. Supp. 2d 1339, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14834, 2001 WL 1110493 (S.D. Fla. 2001).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING SUMMARY JUDGMENT FOR DEFENDANTS/COUN-TERCLAIMANTS

JAMES LAWRENCE KING, District Judge.

THIS MATTER is before the Court upon the motion for summary judgment filed by Defendants/Counterclaimants V Secret Catalogue, Inc., Victoria’s Secret Direct, LLC, Victoria’s Secret Stores, Inc. and Intimate Beauty Corporation d/b/a Victoria’s Secret Beauty (collectively “Defendants” or “Victoria’s Secret”) filed May 23, 2001, and, after briefing by both sides, orally argued August 7, 2001.

I. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Victoria’s Cyber Secret Limited Partnership (hereinafter referred to as “Plaintiff’ or “VCS”) commenced this action for a declaratory judgment on March 19, 2001. VCS owns four Internet domain names: “victoriassexsecret.com,” “victoriassexyse-cret.com,” “victoriasexsecret.com,” and “victoriasexysecret.com”. VCS sought declaratory judgment of its rights under 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201-2202 and an interpretation of whether or not its ownership of the disputed domain names violated 15 U.S.C. §§ 1051-1127 (the Lanham Act). The complaint asked further, in Count II, for a declaration by the Court that VCS’s ownership and ■ use of the disputed domain names did not violate the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers Uniform Policy Rules for Domain Name Dispute Resolution (the “ICANN Policy”). 1

Count III of VCS’s Complaint sought a declaration of their rights as to trademark and service mark infringement, unfair competition, false advertising, passing-off, and dilution, alleging that its ownership and registration of the disputed domain names did not create a violation of any law, federal or state, and that VCS was therefore entitled to use the domain names free from any interference by Defendants.

In their Answer, Victoria’s Secret counterclaimed against Plaintiff VCS alleging federal trademark infringement, unfair competition, dilution, and violation of the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act under the Trademark Act of July 5, 1946 (commonly referred to as the Lan- *1342 ham Act), 15 U.S.C. § 1051, et seq., as amended; 15 U.S.C. § 1121 and 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1338(a). Further, Defendant sought relief for related state and common law violations of trademark infringement, dilution, unfair competition, and unfair and descriptive trade practices, under 28 U.S.C. § 1367. 2 The Answer to the Complaint and Counterclaim by Defendants were filed May 17, 2001.

On the following day, May 18, 2001, the Defendants filed a plethora of pleadings directed to its subsequently filed (May 23, 2001) motion for summary judgment. 3 Plaintiff VCS, responded to Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment on June 29, 2001 4

After full briefing by both sides, the issues raised by Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment was orally argued August 7, 2001. According to the Clerk’s docket sheet record of the filings in this case, no depositions or other discovery have been conducted by either side.

II. STATEMENT OF UNCONTESTED FACTS

Victoria’s Secret is the dominant lingerie brand in America and signifies a leading source of apparel and personal care products offered under the VICTORIA’S SECRET Mark. 5 Victoria’s Secret sells its merchandise in its own Victoria’s Secret retail stores, catalogue and on its website. More than 1300 Victoria’s Secret lingerie and beauty stores are in operation across the country. (Beraud Decl., ¶ 3.) The Vic-toria’s Secret catalogue circulates hundreds of millions of issues annually. (See Pozy Deck, ¶ 3.) In addition, the Victoria’s Secret website, www.victoriassecret.com■, is one of the most popular and profitable in e-tailing. (See Mitchell Deck, ¶ 6; Pozy Deck, ¶ 9.)

The Victoria’s Secret, brand is heavy advertised. (See Beraud Deck, ¶¶ 6-8; Pozy Deck, ¶ 10.) Victoria’s Secret merchandise is extensively advertised on an ongoing basis through all media, including primarily, but not limited to, catalog mailings, the internet, print, television and international fashion ■ shows. (See Pozy Deck, ¶¶ 6-9, Beraud Deck, ¶¶ 6-8.) Victoria’s Secret stores sells primarily intimate apparel and personal care products, while Victoria’s Secret Direct, through the Victoria’s Secret catalog, sells a broader range of outerwear such as swimsuits and accessories in additional to intimate apparel. (See Beraud Deck, ¶ 3; Pozy Deck, ¶ 2.) Total merchandise sales through the Victoria’s Secret stores and the Victoria’s Secret catalog, for the year 2000 alone, approached 3 billion dollars. (See Beraud Deck, ¶ 5; Pozy Deck, ¶ 8.)

The VICTORIA’S SECRET ’Mark has been used continuously by Victoria’s Secret in the United States since at least 1982, is registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and has come to symbolize the enormous goodwill of Victoria’s Secret and its merchandise in *1343 this country as well as throughout the world. (See Mitchell Decl., ¶¶ 2, 7; Lyons Decl., ¶ 3.)

Victoria’s Secret Stores, Inc., Victoria’s Secret Direct, LLC and Intimate Beauty Corporation are the exclusive United States licensees of V Secret Catalogue, Inc., which is the record owner of the VICTORIA?S- SECRET Mark registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office .(“PTO”) for a variety of goods and services. (See Lyons Decl., ¶ 3.) Each of Victoria’s Secret’s registrations are valid, subsisting and now in full Torce and effect. (See Lyons Depl., ¶ 4.)

As a result, the VICTORIA’S SECRET Mark has become and is now a well-known and famous mark.

On May 5, 1998, Plaintiff VCS registered four domain names to be used as adult entertainment internet sites. Between May 1998- and January 2001 Plaintiff did not use the domain names or launch any websites connected to the names.

In May of 2000, Victoria’s Secret sent Plaintiff VCS a cease and desist' letter (Complaint, Ex. A). VCS responded by stating in an e-mail to Victoria’s Secret’s counsel that “[t]he aforementioned web addressees) are available for your company(s) to take into their possession, upon your legal representative(s) delivering an amicable transfer agreement to our Legal Counsel ....

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Tracfone Wireless, Inc. v. Clear Choice Connections, Inc.
102 F. Supp. 3d 1321 (S.D. Florida, 2015)
Bioclin BV v. Multygyn USA, LLC
72 F. Supp. 3d 1288 (M.D. Florida, 2014)
Noveshen v. Bridgewater Associates, LP
47 F. Supp. 3d 1367 (S.D. Florida, 2014)
V Secret Catalogue, Inc. v. Moseley
605 F.3d 382 (Sixth Circuit, 2010)
Rain Bird Corp. v. Taylor
665 F. Supp. 2d 1258 (N.D. Florida, 2009)
Trilink Saw Chain, LLC v. Blount, Inc.
583 F. Supp. 2d 1293 (N.D. Georgia, 2008)
PetMed Express, Inc. v. MedPets.Com, Inc.
336 F. Supp. 2d 1213 (S.D. Florida, 2004)
Nike, Inc. v. Circle Group Internet, Inc.
318 F. Supp. 2d 688 (N.D. Illinois, 2004)
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts B v. v. Consorcio Barr, S.A.
267 F. Supp. 2d 1268 (S.D. Florida, 2003)
Voice-Tel Enterprises, Inc. v. Joba, Inc.
258 F. Supp. 2d 1353 (N.D. Georgia, 2003)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
161 F. Supp. 2d 1339, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14834, 2001 WL 1110493, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/victorias-cyber-secret-ltd-partnership-v-v-secret-catalogue-inc-flsd-2001.