Case Digest (G.R. No. L-44707)
Facts:
- The case involves Hickok Manufacturing Co., Inc. (petitioner) and Santos Lim Bun Liong (respondent).
- Decided by the Supreme Court of the Philippines on August 31, 1982, under G.R. No. L-44707.
- The dispute centers on the trademark "HICKOK," registered by both parties for different products.
- The petitioner registered the trademark for non-competing items such as leather wallets, belts, men's briefs, neckties, handkerchiefs, and men's socks, manufactured by Quality House, Inc.
- The respondent registered the same trademark for shoes produced in Marikina, Rizal, Philippines.
- The Director of Patents initially ruled in favor of the petitioner, canceling the respondent's trademark registration.
- The Court of Appeals reversed this decision, stating the trademarks were distinct and the goods were not in direct competition.
- The petitioner appealed to the Supreme Court to reinstate the Director of Patents' decision.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- The Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Appeals' decision, upholding the respondent's trademark registration for shoes.
- The Court found no error in the appellate ...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- The Supreme Court's ruling was based on established legal principles regarding trademark registration and likelihood of confusion.
- The Court emphasized that competing trademarks do not need to be identical; the entirety of the trademarks, including design, color, and the nature of the goods, must be considered.
- The petitioner’s trademark was for various leather goods, while the respondent’s was exclusively for shoes, which are unrelated products.
- The Court re...continue reading
Case Digest (G.R. No. L-44707)
Facts:
The case involves Hickok Manufacturing Co., Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "petitioner") as the petitioner and Santos Lim Bun Liong (hereinafter referred to as "respondent") as the respondent. The case was decided by the Supreme Court of the Philippines on August 31, 1982, under G.R. No. L-44707. The dispute arose from the registration of the trademark "HICKOK" used by both parties for their respective products. The petitioner had registered the trademark for various non-competing products, including leather wallets, belts, men's briefs, neckties, handkerchiefs, and men's socks, which were manufactured in the Philippines by a licensee, Quality House, Inc. The respondent, on the other hand, registered the same trademark for shoes manufactured in Marikina, Rizal, Philippines.
The case was initially brought before the Director of Patents, who ruled in favor of the petitioner, leading to the cancellation of the respondent's trademark registration. However, the Court of Appeals reversed this decision, stating that the trademarks were sufficiently distinct and that the goods were not in direct competition. The appellate court emphasized that the trademarks should be evaluated in their entirety, considering the differences in design, color, and the nature of the goods to which they were attached. The petitioner then elevate...