The Atlanta Gleaner.

Legal News

Edited By George Washington

(Testing in progress)

George Washington Statue at Federal Hall

Abitron Austria GmbHv.Hetronic International, Inc.

CourtSupreme Court of the United States
Docket No.21-1043
DecidedJune 29, 2023
Reporter600 U.S. 412
JudgesSee official opinion.
Tags
CivilTrademarkLanham ActExtraterritorialityStatutory Interpretation
Case Summary

Hetronic manufactured remote controls for construction equipment, and Abitron claimed rights under a distribution arrangement before selling competing products abroad. Hetronic sought damages under the Lanham Act for foreign sales, and the lower courts applied the statute to that conduct. The Court held that the relevant Lanham Act provisions are not extraterritorial and that the focus is on the location of the infringing use in commerce. The Court vacated and remanded for the lower court to apply that domestic-use rule.

Opinion

Loading published copy…

The Far Side