Trademark Law | Expert Legal Commentary

June 8, 2010

Crash Dummy Movie v. Mattel: Overcoming the Presumption of Abandonment

Crash Dummy Movie, LLC v. Mattel, Inc..

By Olivier A. Taillieu and Thomas F. Zuber of Zuber & Taillieu

The Federal Circuit Court affirmed a TTAB decision finding that Mattel successfully rebutted the presumption that it had abandoned a mark it had acquired from Tyco but had not used for at least three years. In Crash Dummy Movie, LLC v. Mattel, Inc., 601 F.3d 1387 (Fed. Cir. 2010), Mattel opposed an intent-to-use trademark application filed by Crash Dummy Movie based on a likelihood of confusion with Mattel's "Crash Dummies" marks. Even though the TTAB found a prima facie case of abandonment by Mattel, it found that Mattel took sufficient steps to overcome that presumption.

About the Authors

Olivier A. Taillieu is a Partner of Zuber & Taillieu, focusing on intellectual property litigation and arbitration.

Thomas F. Zuber is a Partner of Zuber & Taillieu, focusing on intellectual property protection and exploitation.

Image Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/txpeter

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Olivier A. Taillieu
Thomas F. Zuber

Companies Mentioned

Mattel, Inc.

The Crash Dummy Movie, LLC

Trademark Trial and Appeal Board

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