William A. Meier Glass Co. v. Anchor Hocking Glass Corp.

11 F.R.D. 487, 91 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 207, 1951 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3663
District Court, W.D. Pennsylvania·Decided August 22, 1951·No. Civ. 8399·Published·Cited by 16 cases

Opinion

STEWART, District Judge.

In this action the plaintiff corporation, a manufacturer of glassware, seeks to recover from the defendant corporation, likewise a glass manufacturer, damages for the alleged unauthorized use of the plaintiff’s original “loop” design.' The plaintiff had neither a patent nor a copyright on the “loop” design so that its right to recovery must rest solely upon its common law property right as the originator of the “loop” design. The plaintiff alleges that the defendant acquired knowledge of the “loop” design in October, 1948, when the plaintiff, seeking to interest the defendant in a flame polishing process which it had developed, sent the defendant three vases containing the design. It is further alleged that in November, 1948, representatives of the defendant, while at the plaintiff’s manufacturing plant for the purpose of observing the flame polishing process in operation, requested and received two sample tumblers, one of which was decorated with the “loop” design. On January 10, 1949, both parties exhibited glassware bearing the design at a glass show held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

On a motion of the defendant to dismiss the action, this Court held that the public exhibition at the glass show on January 10, 1949 constituted a general publication of the “loop” design by the plaintiff and that thereupon the plaintiff’s right to the exclusive use of the 'design ceased. 95 F.Supp. 264.

The case is now before the Court on plaintiff’s motion under Rule 34 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, 28 U,S. ■C. requesting an order requiring defendant to produce for inspection, copying or photographing the following items and records:

“(a) 3 vases forwarded by plaintiff to defendant by mail in October 18, 1948;
“(b) 4 tumblers delivered to Mr. Austin C. Coy, an employee of the defendant corporation, on November 22, 1948;
“(c) duplicates of all glassware products shown in .the January 1949 Pittsburgh Glassware Show being engraved with the ‘Billows No. 1’ design or the same design under any other name;
“(d) all books and records showing all orders and sales of glassware products secured at the January 1949 Pittsburgh Glassware Show for all glassware products engraved with the Anchor Hocking ‘Billows No. 1’ design or that same design under any other name and similar to plaintiff’s ‘Circle and Loop’ design;
“(e) all records of sales of glassware products having thereon engraved defendant’s ‘Billows No. 1 design or the same design by any other name for the years 1948, 1949, 1950, and 1951;
“(f) all plans, drawings and sketches of defendant’s ‘Billows No. 1’ design, or the' same design under any other name;
“(g) all correspondence, including inter office memorandums, concerning the starting of production of the ‘Billows No. 1’ design or the same design by any other name; '
“(h) all production records for the years 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1951 of glassware products engraved with the ‘Billows No. 1’ design or the same design by any other name ;
“(i) books and records of all orders taken at all glassware shows in the United States in the years 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1951 for glassware products engraved with the defendant’s ‘Billows No. 1’ design or the same design under any other name;
“(j) copy of all advertisements, together with place of insertion and/or distribution permitting the sale of glassware products ■engraved with the ‘Billows No. 1’ design or the same design under any other name;’-
“(k) records and/or correspondence showing the distribution of samples of defendant’s glassware products having thereon engraved the ‘Billows No1. 1’ design or the same design under any other name' sent to salesmen, branch offices, jobbers and distributors.”

Rule 34 provides, in part, “Upon motion of any party showing good cause [490]*490therefor and upon notice to all other parties, and subject to the provisions of Rule 30(b), the court in which an action is pending may (1) order any party to produce and permit the inspection and copying or photographing, by or on behalf of the moving party, of any designated documents, papers, books, accounts, letters, photographs, objects, or tangible things, not privileged, which constitute or contain evidence relating to any of the matters within the scope of the examination permitted by Rule 26(b) and which are in his possession, custody, or control; * * *. The order shall specify the time, place, and manner of making the inspection and taking the copies and photographs and may prescribe such terms and conditions as are just.” Numerous cases under this rule have made it clear that the right of the moving party is not absolute, but is dependent on the existence of certain conditions, namely:

1. It must be shown that there is “good cause” for the production and inspection of the desired material.

2. The items requested must be “designated” with reasonable definiteness and particularity.

3. The matters must not be privileged.

4. The requested items must constitute or contain evidence within the scope of the examination permitted by Rule 26(b).

5. The requested items must be within the possession, custody or control of the party upon whom demand is made.

Hirshhorn v. Mine Safety Appliances Co., D.C.W.D.Pa.1948, 8 F.R.D. 11; Michel v.Meier, D.C.W.D.Pa.1948, 8 F.R.D. 464.

The defendant contends that the plaintiff did not meet the first, fourth and fifth requirements.

Although several cases discuss “good cause” under Rule 34, none indicates with any degree of certainty what is meant by the term. See discussion by Judge Goodrich in footnote 4 to Hickman v. Taylor, 3 Cir., 1945, 153 F.2d 212, at page 216. However, certain matters should, at least, be given consideration by the Court. These include practical convenience, necessity of the moving party in preparation of his case, facilitation of proof at the trial of the action, and aid in the progress of the trial. Gordon v. Pennsylvania R. Co., D.C.E.D.Pa. 1946, 5 F.R.D. 510. In the final analysis, whether a motion under Rule 34 will be granted is a matter directed toi the Court’s discretion, and it is sufficient guidance to keep in mind the liberal objectives of the Rules of Civil Procedure. Gordon v. Pennsylvania R. Co., supra; Tague v. Delaware L. & W. R. Co. D.C.E.D.N.Y. 1946, 5 F.R.D. 337. See 2 Barron and Holt-zoff Federal Practice and Procedure (Rules Ed. 1950) § 803, page 526.

It seems to us that items (a), (b) and (c) will facilitate the proof of the plaintiff’s case, while items (d) to (k) inclusive, at least as to the years 1948 and 1949, will aid in the determination of the damages and that therefore “good cause” exists.

Rule. 34 is expressly made subject to the scope of examination permitted by Rule 26(b), which provides, as follows: [491]*491this design became known to the defendant.

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William A. Meier Glass Co. v. Anchor Hocking Glass Corp., 11 F.R.D. 487, 91 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 207, 1951 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3663 (W.D. Pa. 1951).

11 F.R.D. 487 (William A. Meier Glass Co. v. Anchor Hocking Glass Corp.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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