California residents who rely on the Dollar Shave Club may be interested to learn that Gillette filed a lawsuit against Dollar Shave Club for patent violations in December. According to the lawsuit, the razors provided by the Dollar Shave Club use coating methods that were patented by Gillette in 2004.
Denial of offensive trademarks found to be unconstitutional
Businesses in California may now have the option of trademarking a name or logo that others might view as offensive. On Dec. 22, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit decided that the portion of a federal law banning the registration of offensive trademarks was not constitutional because it violated the First Amendment.
Trader Joe's sued for allegedly copying famous cookies
Cookie maker Pepperidge Farm is suing California-based grocery store chain Trader Joe's for trademark violations. According to Pepperidge Farm, Trader Joe's has been selling a product called Crispy Cookies that is too similar to its famous Milano cookies. Pepperidge Farm says that Trader Joe's actions are malicious and calculated and that the company has made hundreds of millions of dollars by trading on the reputation of Milano cookies.
Mark Zuckerberg ordered to testify in IP dispute
Some California residents may have heard about the ongoing copyright dispute between Oculus and ZeniMax Media. Sources are now reporting that Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, has been ordered to testify in the case.
YouTube offers legal help to uploaders facing copyright claims
California residents are likely aware that individuals uploading copyrighted material to the Internet often face the wrath of attorneys representing the motion picture and music industries. YouTube relies on its users to generate content, and the popular video sharing platform announced on Nov. 19 that it will be offering legal support to account holders who have uploaded material that has prompted copyright claims from organizations like the MPAA and RIAA.
