British Telecommunications Plc; Virgin Enterprises Ltd; J Sainsbury Plc; Marks & Spencer Plc and Ladbroke Group Plc -v- One In a Million Ltd and others – CA – 1998 – – Intellectual Property
Registration of a distinctive Internet domain name using registered trade marks and company names could be an infringement of a registered Trade Mark, and also passing off. It was proper to grant quia timet injunctions where necessary to stop registration: “a jurisdiction to grant injunctive relief where a defendant is equipped with or is intending to equip another with an instrument of fraud. Whether any name is an instrument of fraud will depend upon all the circumstances. A name which will, by reason of its similarity to the name of another, inherently lead to passing-off is such an instrument. If it would not inherently lead to passing-off, it does not follow that it is not an instrument of fraud. The court should consider the similarity of the names, the intention of the defendant, the type of trade and all the surrounding circumstances. If it be the intention of the defendant to appropriate the goodwill of another or enable others to do so, I can see no reason why the court should not infer that it will happen, even if there is a possibility that such an appropriation would not take place. ”
Cases Cited: Marks & Spencer Plc, Ladbrokes Plc, J Sainsbury Plc, Virgin Enterprises Ltd, British Telecommunications Plc, Telecom Securior Cellular Radio Ltd -v- One In A Million and Others PatC ([1997] EWHC Patents 357, (1998) FSR 265); Singer Manufacturing Co -v- Loog CA ((1880) 18 ChD 395); Southern -v- How ([1616-1618] J Bridg 125, Cro Jac 468, Poph 143, 123 ER 1248); Orr Ewing -v- Registrar of Trade Marks HL ((1879) 4 App Cas 479); Magnolia Metal Co -v- Tandem Smelting Syndicate Ltd ((1900) 17 RPC 477); in re Bass Nicholson CA ([1931] 48 RPC 227); Burgess -v- Burgess ([1853] LR 14 CD 748, (1853) De G M&G 896, [1843-60] All Er Rep 90, [1853] 22 LJ Ch 675, [1853]); Spalding (A G ) and Brothers -v- A W Gamage Ltd HL (84 LJ Ch 449, (1915) 32 RPC 273); Edelsten -v- Edelsten LC ([1863] 1 De G J & Sm 185, [1863] 7 LT 768, [1860] 9 Jur NS 479, [1860] 11 WR 328, [1860] 46 ER 72); Reddaway & Co Ltd -v- Banham & Co Ltd HL ([1896] AC 199 HL(E), (1895) 1 QB 286, 13 RPC 218); Iron-Ox Remedy Company Ld -v- Co-operative Wholesale Society Ld ([1907] 24 RPC 425); Guinness -v- Ullmer ((1847) 10 LT (OS) 127); Farina -v- Silverlock ((1855) 1 K & J 509); Generale Bank Nederland Nv (Formerly Credit Lyonnais Bank Nederland Nv) -v- Export Credit Guarantee Department CA ([1998] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 19, [1997] EWCA Civ 2165); Royal Brunei Airlines SDN BHD -v- Tan PC ([1995] 2 AC 378, [1995] UKPC 4, [1995] 3 All ER 97); Warnink (Erven) Besloten Vennootschap -v- J Townend & Sons (Hull) Ltd HL ([1979] 2 All ER 927, [1979] 3 WLR 68, [1979] AC 731, (1980) RPC 31); Singer Manufacturing Co -v- Loog HL ((1882) 8 App Cas l5); Draper -v- Trist CA ((1939) 56 RPC 429, [1939] 3 All ER 513); John Walker & Sons Ltd -v- Henry Ost & Co Ltd ChD ((1970) RPC 489); John De Kuyper & Son -v- W & G Baird Ltd ((1903) 20 RPC 581); John Jamieson & Son Ltd -v- R S Johnston & Co Ltd ((1901) l8 RPC 259); Lever -v- Goodwin CA ((1887) 36 Ch D 1, (1887) 4 RPC 492); Payton & Co Limited -v- Snelling, Lampard & Co Ltd HL ([1901] AC 308); White Horse Distillers Ltd -v- Gregson Associates Ltd ((1984) RPC 6l); Suhner & Co AG -v- Transradio Ltd ([1967] RPC 329); Direct Line Group Limited -v- Direct Line Estate Agency ChD ([1997] FSR 374); Glaxo Plc -v- Glaxowellcome Limited ChD ([1996] FSR 388); Fletcher Challenge Ltd -v- Fletcher Challenge Pty Ltd ((1982) FSR 1); Norwich Pharmacal Co and others -v- Customs and Excise Commissioners CA ([1972] 2 All ER 813);
Cited by:
Bell Atlantic Corporation, Bell IP Holdings Llc -v- Bell Atlantic Communications Plc, Bell Atlantic Limited PatC (CH 1998 B No 4245, [1998] EWHC Patents 273); Inter Lotto (Uk) Ltd -v- Camelot Group Plc CA ([2003] EWCA Civ 1132, ); Tesco Stores Ltd -v- Elogicom Ltd and Another ChD ([2006] EWHC 403 (Ch)); Microsoft Corporation -v- Ling and others ChD ([2006] EWHC 1619 (Ch)); Phones4U Ltd and Another -v- Phone4u.Co.UK and others CA ([2006] EWCA Civ 244, ); Global Projects Management Ltd -v- Citigroup Inc and Others ChD ([2005] EWHC 2663 (Ch), [2006] FSR 39);
References: [1998] EWCA Civ 1272 | [1999] FSR 1 | [1999] 1 WLR 903 | [1998] 4 All ER 476 |
29-Jul-98 Times: -> Link | 30-Sep-98 Gazette: -> Link | 23-Jul-98 Bailii: -> Link |
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