Professional Documents
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Plaintiff,
BUTZEL LONG, A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS
Case No.
v.
Hon.
BLAKE FARMS HARD APPLE
CIDER, LLC, a Michigan limited
liability company,
Defendant.
BUTZEL LONG PC
By: George Schooff (P45596)
Kaveh Kashef (P64443)
(“Traffic Jam”) against Blake Farms Hard Apple Cider, LLC (“Blake
violations of the Trademark Act of 1946, Pub. L. No. 79-489, 60 Stat. 431,
BUTZEL LONG, A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS
THE PARTIES
Michigan, 48005.
4. The Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this case under
§§ 1331 and 1338. The Court has supplemental jurisdiction over the
related state and common law claims under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1338 and 1367.
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RELEVANT FACTS
into a city-to-suburb exodus, and the 1967 riots loomed just two years
away.
10. Yet in the more than half-a-century since, Traffic Jam has not
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effort, and expense to develop its marks, including its TRAFFIC JAM
marks.
selling baked goods to its restaurant patrons and the public in association
14. Traffic Jam has continuously made and sold baked goods in
15. Below are two examples of TRAFFIC JAM bread Traffic Jam
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17. Traffic Jam has continuously made and sold dairy products in
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21. Since then, Traffic Jam has continuously made and sold
22. In 2014, for example, Traffic Jam began canning and selling
BUTZEL LONG, A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS
23. From 1965 through the present, more than 50 years before the
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excellent reputation among the public and extensive goodwill in its marks,
Blake Farms recently began using Traffic Jam’s TRAFFIC JAM mark in
commerce.
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public.
JAM mark:
29. On May 20, 2019, when Traffic Jam first learned of Blake
demanding it cease and desist from using TRAFFIC JAM no later than
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31. Blake Farms’ use of Traffic Jam’s TRAFFIC JAM mark in the
32. Blake Farms’ use of Traffic Jam’s TRAFFIC JAM mark in the
BUTZEL LONG, A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS
33. Blake Farms’ use of Traffic Jam’s TRAFFIC JAM mark in the
manner described is intended to trade off of the reputation and goodwill the
public has come to associate with Traffic Jam, including Traffic Jam’s
causing irreparable harm to the goodwill symbolized by the marks, and the
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Jam’s TRAFFIC JAM marks has caused and is likely to continue causing
BUTZEL LONG, A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS
descriptions, and false designations of, on, or in connection with its goods,
39. Blake Farms’ acts have caused and, unless enjoined by this
its TRAFFIC JAM marks, for which Traffic Jam has no adequate remedy at
law.
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malicious intent to trade on the goodwill associated with Traffic Jam and
substantial injury to the public and to Traffic Jam, and Traffic Jam is
BUTZEL LONG, A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS
43. For more than a half-century, Traffic Jam has exclusively and
44. Traffic Jam’s TRAFFIC JAM marks have become famous and
JAM in commerce.
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JAM marks by, among other things, eroding the public’s exclusive
TRAFFIC JAM marks, and to cause dilution of the marks to Traffic Jam’s
irreparable harm.
47. Blake Farms has caused and will continue causing irreparable
harm to Traffic Jam’s goodwill and business reputation, and dilute the
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Jam’s TRAFFIC JAM marks has caused, and will likely continue to cause,
BUTZEL LONG, A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS
52. Blake Farms’ acts have caused and, unless enjoined by this
members of the public, and injury to Traffic Jam’s goodwill and reputation
as symbolized by its TRAFFIC JAM marks, for which Traffic Jam has no
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54. Blake Farms’ acts caused and will continue causing substantial
injury to the public and to Traffic Jam, and Traffic Jam is entitled to
part:
M.C.L.A. § 445.903.
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Act.
descriptions, and false designations of, on, or in connection with its goods,
Protection Act.
59. Blake Farms’ acts have caused and, unless enjoined by this
members of the public, and injury to Traffic Jam’s goodwill and reputation
as symbolized by the its TRAFFIC JAM marks, for which Traffic Jam has
61. Blake Farms’ acts caused and will continue causing substantial
injury to the public and to Traffic Jam, and Traffic Jam is entitled to
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enhanced profits and damages, costs, and reasonable attorney fees under
1. The Court enter judgment for Plaintiff Traffic Jam and against
acting for, with, by, through or under authority from Blake Farms, or in
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promoting, and selling, and to recall all goods bearing, TRAFFIC JAM, or
Blake Farms or under its authority, to any customer, including, but not
also to deliver to each such store or customer a copy of this Court’s order
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Farms that are found to adopt, infringe, or dilute any of Traffic Jam’s
TRAFFIC JAM marks, or that otherwise unfairly compete with Traffic Jam
and all profits derived by Blake Farms from the sale or distribution of
goods, services, and commercial activities resulting from the acts forming
6. Traffic Jam be awarded its damages for the acts forming the
1117(a);
and/or dilution of Traffic Jam’s TRAFFIC JAM marks, and to deter such
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11. Traffic Jam be awarded such other relief as the Court deems
issues so triable.
By:
George T. Schooff (P45596)
Kaveh Kashef (P64443)
150 West Jefferson, Suite 100
Detroit, Michigan 48226
schooff@butzel.com
Telephone: (313) 225-7000
Fax: (313) 225-7080
Attorneys for Plaintiff
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Plaintiff,
Case No.
v.
Hon.
BLAKE FARMS HARD APPLE
CIDER, LLC, a Michigan limited
liability company,
Defendant.
BUTZEL LONG PC
By: George Schooff (P45596)
Kaveh Kashef (P64443)
INDEX OF EXHIBITS
Exhibit A – Cease and Desist Letter to Blake Farms Hard Apple Cider
Case 2:19-cv-11638-GCS-APP ECF No. 1-2 filed 06/04/19 PageID.21 Page 1 of 5
EXHIBIT A
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BUTZEL LONG
ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS
a professional corporation
George T. Schooff
313 225 5310
schooff@butzel.com
VIA FEDEX
Re: Traffic Jam and Snuq, Inc. v. Blake Farms Hard Cider, LLC
Our firm represents Traffic Jam and Snug, Inc. ("Traffic Jam") in intellectual
property matters.
As you know, Traffic Jam is one of Detroit and the tri-county area's best-known
and successful restaurants and breweries (see, e.g., <www.trafficjamdetroit.com>). To
that end, Traffic Jam has been providing goods and services to the public under its
TRAFFIC JAM family of marks since no later than 1965.
By way of example, Traffic Jam markets and sells alcoholic beverages to the
public under its TRAFFIC JAM marks. Enclosed for your reference is one example. As
is readily apparent to even to the most casual of consumers, Traffic Jam has been and
is making prominent use of its TRAFFIC JAM marks in this product category.
Traffic Jam has invested considerable time, effort and expense in developing its
family of marks, including its TRAFFIC JAM marks. As a result, Traffic Jam has earned
an excellent reputation among the public, along with substantial goodwill in its marks.
We have learned Blake Farms Hard Apple Cider, LLC ("Blake Farms") has
introduced and is using in commerce my client's TRAFFIC JAM mark in association with
an alcoholic beverage. Our investigation has further revealed Blake Farms has applied
to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to federally register our client's TRAFFIC JAM
mark in International Class 33 (alcoholic beverages), asserting an April 29, 2019 first-
use-in-commerce date. Enclosed is the specimen you submitted along with the
application.
Ann Arbor Bloomfield Hills Detroit Lansing New York Washington D.C.
Alliance Offices Beijing Shanghai Mexico City Monterrey Member Lex Mundt www.butzel.com
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Case 2:19-cv-11638-GCS-APP ECF No. 1-2 filed 06/04/19 PageID.23 Page 3 of 5
Traffic Jam's remedies for Blake Farms' violations of the law are severe. In cases
like this one, they can include awarding compensatory damages, a recovery of Blake
Farms' profits, treble damages, attorney fees, prejudgment interest, costs, an injunction
prohibiting you from continuing to use TRAFFIC JAM and any other confusingly similar
mark under penalty of contempt, and an order for destruction of all articles bearing my
client's TRAFFIC JAM marks. See, e.g., 15 U.S.C. §§ 1116, 1117, 1118 and 1125.
Accordingly, we insist you (a) cease and desist from all uses of TRAFFIC JAM
and any confusingly similar mark no later than May 31, 2019,(b) confirm in writing that
you have ceased all such uses and will not in the future use TRAFFIC JAM or any
confusingly similar mark, and (c) provide your sales revenues for all goods and services
you provided in association with my client's TRAFFIC JAM mark.
If you have counsel, please send him or her a copy of this letter as soon as
possible, and ask him or her to contact me at their earliest convenience.
Very r ly yo
N
rn
GORGE T. SCHOOF r-
utzel Long PC
GTS r-
Enclosures O
cc: Kaveh Kashef, Esq.
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