This chapter discusses the law on trade mark infringement and revocation. Section 10 of the Trade Marks Act 1994 establishes the basic criteria for an infringement action. If a mark is already on the Trade Marks Register, it is an infringement to use the same mark for the same goods or services. The grant of a trade mark lasts initially for 10 years from the date of its registration, and this may be renewed for a seemingly indefinite number of further periods of 10 years thereafter on payment of the appropriate fee. There are four grounds listed in s. 46(1) of the 1994 Act for revocation: (i) five years’ lack of genuine use of the mark in the UK without cause; (ii) a suspension for the same period (after initial use); (iii) the mark has become the common name for the product in question in the trade; and (iv) if the mark has been used in a misleading manner, especially as to the nature, quality, or origin of the goods or services in question.
Chapter
26. Trade marks—infringement and revocation
Chapter
15. Variation of Trusts
Paul S Davies and Graham Virgo
All books in this flagship series contain carefully selected substantial extracts from key cases, legislation, and academic debate, providing able students with a stand-alone resource. This chapter shows how a variation of trust occurs in cases where all the beneficiaries of a trust are of full age, under no disability, and in agreement to terminate the trust and resettle the trust property on a new trust, varying the original trust. In cases of necessity, the court has an exceptional inherent jurisdiction to vary a trust. The Variation of Trusts Act 1958 enables the court to consent to the variation of a trust on behalf of certain actual or potential beneficiaries who are unable to consent to the variation. The Act enables the revocation of an existing trust and establishment of a new trust, but only where the new trust can be regarded in substance as similar to the old trust.
Chapter
Dickinson v Dodds (1876) 2 Ch D 463
Essential Cases: Contract Law provides a bridge between course textbooks and key case judgments. This case document summarizes the facts and decision in Dickinson v Dodds (1876) 2 Ch D 463. The document also includes supporting commentary from author Nicola Jackson.
Chapter
Dickinson v Dodds (1876) 2 Ch D 463
Essential Cases: Contract Law provides a bridge between course textbooks and key case judgments. This case document summarizes the facts and decision in Dickinson v Dodds (1876) 2 Ch D 463. The document also includes supporting commentary from author Nicola Jackson.
Chapter
6. Infringement and revocation
This chapter discusses the law on patent infringement and revocation. The grounds on which a patent may be revoked are established by s. 72 of the UK Patents Act 1977. On the issue of infringement, s. 60 of the 1977 Act is the key provision and unusually makes separate, although not dissimilar, provisions for patents that are for products and those that are for processes. Interpretation of claims is a key aspect of any infringement case.
Chapter
15. Infringement and Revocation of the Trade Mark
Justine Pila and Paul L.C. Torremans
This chapter considers EU law on trade mark infringement. The basic criteria for an infringement action are established by Article 5 of the Trade Mark Directive and Article 9 of the Trade Mark Regulation. If a mark is already on the register, it is an infringement to use the same mark for the same goods or services. If either, or both, of the two marks and the product in question are similar rather than identical, there will be an infringement if the later use of the earlier mark is likely to cause confusion to the public. Finally, unauthorized use of an identical or a similar mark, even on totally different goods, will also be an infringement if the repute of the original mark would be harmed by such a use. The remainder of the chapter deals with the three main paragraphs on infringement, Articles 5(1)(a), (b) and (2) in the Directive and Article 9(1)(a), (b) and (c) of the Regulation respectively, each of which deal with a different form of trade mark infringement. This is followed by discussions of exceptions to infringement and the revocation and invalidity of trade marks.
Chapter
14. Trade marks 2: definition of a registrable trade mark, absolute grounds for refusal and invalidation, and revocation
This chapter examines the definition of a registrable trade mark, absolute grounds for refusal or invalidation of a registered trade mark, the extent to which objections can be overcome through proof of distinctiveness acquired through use and the rules on revocation of a registered trade mark, both at national and EU levels. It examines these issues looking at many different kinds of trade mark, from traditional work marks and logos to so-called ‘non-conventional’ trade marks such as three-dimensional product shapes, sounds, smells, colours, and ‘position’ marks. The chapter reflects evolving legislation at an EU level (particularly the EU’s 2015 trade mark reform package), a rich base of case law, and links to the the theroetical debates seen in Chapter 13.
Chapter
2. Agreement
Without assuming prior legal knowledge, books in the Directions series introduce and guide readers through key points of law and legal debate. Questions, diagrams and exercises help readers to engage fully with each subject and check their understanding as they progress. A contract requires that the parties reach an agreement which normally consists of a matching offer and acceptance. This chapter discusses the following: the objective test of agreement; identifying an offer and acceptance; rejection, counter-offers and inquiries; communication of acceptance including the postal rule and the contrasting rule for revocation; mode of acceptance; the death of an offer; and unilateral contracts.
Chapter
2. Agreement
Robert Merkin KC, Séverine Saintier, and Jill Poole
Course-focused and comprehensive, Poole’s Textbook on Contract Law provides an accessible overview of the key areas of the law curriculum. This chapter explains how to determine whether parties have reached an agreement. Traditionally, the existence of agreement is determined objectively on the basis of an offer and corresponding acceptance. However, this approach has been challenged for being artificial and inflexible, and even in the absence of these traditional criteria the courts have occasionally found agreement, particularly where there has been performance. For formation there needs to be an offer (as opposed to an invitation to treat) and that offer must be accepted before it has been rejected or otherwise lapsed. In order to be effective, offer and acceptance must be properly communicated, which normally means ‘received’. The chapter also considers the mirror-image rule, whereby an acceptance must be unconditional and correspond with the exact terms proposed by the offeror. This chapter also examines principles that determine when an agreement can be enforced with sufficient certainty and whether liability will arise in the absence of agreement. An apparent contract will be void if the terms are considered too uncertain or where there is no context for gap filling. But this must be balanced with the need to prevent the parties from using allegations of uncertainty to escape from bad bargains. This chapter therefore considers how the courts deal with the difficult question over agreements to agree.
Chapter
12. The power of a patent
This chapter deals with who is entitled to be a patentee, the rights that a patentee enjoys (which are some of the strongest within intellectual property law), the circumstances in which infringement actions might be brought, the defences that are available, and some points on exploitation practices. A key thread is the construction and interpretation of the patent and the inextricable link between the power conferred by the patent and questions of novelty and obviousness. This chapter also looks at sufficiency, the circumstances in which a patent may be revoked, and the risk of a claim for revocation of the patent.
Chapter
2. Agreement
Without assuming prior legal knowledge, books in the Directions series introduce and guide readers through key points of law and legal debate. Questions, diagrams and exercises help readers to engage fully with each subject and check their understanding as they progress. A contract requires that the parties reach an agreement which normally consists of a matching offer and acceptance. This chapter discusses the following: the objective test of agreement; identifying an offer and acceptance; rejection, counter-offers and inquiries; communication of acceptance including the postal rule and the contrasting rule for revocation; mode of acceptance; the death of an offer; and unilateral contracts.
Chapter
39. Revocation
L. Bently, B. Sherman, D. Gangjee, and P. Johnson
This chapter examines revocation as a reason for removing a mark from the register and the grounds for revocation as set out in section 46 of the Trade Marks Act 1994. It begins by discussing the first ground on which a mark may be revoked: ‘non-use’ (the trade mark has not been used for five years following the date of completion of the registration). It considers the relevant period of non-use and proper reasons for non-use, along with the issue of rewriting the specification with respect to goods and services. The chapter then looks at the second ground for the revocation of trade marks: if the mark has become the ‘common name in the trade’ (that is, generic marks). The final reason for revocation is if the mark has been used in a way that misleads the public (that is, deception is involved).
Chapter
2. Formation of the contract
This chapter identifies the key elements required for a contract to be formed. It looks in depth at agreement, breaking it down into offer and acceptance. An offer is distinguished from an invitation to treat in principle, and specific examples of communications which are commonly identified as invitations to treat or offers are considered (e.g. advertisements, displays in shops, auctions, and website ‘shops’/advertisements). The chapter looks at termination of offers by various means, including counter offers and revocation. What constitutes an acceptance is addressed, and the special rule relating to the time of effectiveness of posted acceptances (‘the postal rule’) is considered, as is its extension to contexts such as e-mailed acceptances. The ‘battle of the forms’ is also looked at.
Chapter
6. Revocation
This chapter considers the concept of revocation. Revocation is literally the action of ‘calling back’, in the sense of rescinding or annulling. It is a fundamental characteristic of wills that they are revocable wholly or partially at any time before a testator’s death. The chapter also considers topics related to revocation: alterations, revival, and republication. A will may be revoked by four different methods: by marriage or civil partnership; by another will or codicil; by a duly executed writing; and by destruction. Revocation by marriage is governed by s. 18 of the Wills Act 1837. A testamentary gift to a spouse will fail if the marriage/civil partnership subsequently ends in divorce/dissolution or nullity, but strictly this is not a method of revocation.
Chapter
12. The power of a patent
This chapter deals with who is entitled to be a patentee, the rights that a patentee enjoys (which are some of the strongest within intellectual property law), the circumstances in which infringement actions might be brought, the defences that are available, and some points on exploitation practices. A key thread is the construction and interpretation of the patent and the inextricable link between the power conferred by the patent and questions of novelty and obviousness. This chapter also looks at sufficiency, the circumstances in which a patent may be revoked, and the risk of a claim for revocation of the patent.
Chapter
14. Trade marks 2: definition of a registrable trade mark, absolute grounds for refusal and invalidation, and revocation
This chapter examines the definition of a registrable trade mark, absolute grounds for refusal or invalidation of a registered trade mark, the extent to which objections can be overcome through proof of distinctiveness acquired through use and the rules on revocation of a registered trade mark, both at national level for UK trade mark registrations and at EU level for the EU trade mark. It examines these issues looking at many different kinds of trade mark, from traditional work marks and logos to so-called ‘non-conventional’ trade marks such as three-dimensional product shapes, sounds, smells, colours, and position marks.
Chapter
2. Agreement
Robert Merkin, Séverine Saintier, and Jill Poole
Course-focused and comprehensive, Poole’s Textbook on Contract Law provides an accessible overview of the key areas on the law curriculum. This chapter explains how to determine whether parties have reached an agreement. Traditionally, the existence of agreement is determined objectively on the basis of an offer and corresponding acceptance. However, this approach has been challenged for being artificial and inflexible, and even in the absence of these traditional criteria the courts have occasionally found agreement, particularly where there has been performance. For formation there needs to be an offer (as opposed to an invitation to treat) and that offer must be accepted before it has been rejected or otherwise lapsed. In order to be effective, offer and acceptance must be properly communicated, which normally means ‘received’. The chapter also considers the mirror-image rule, whereby an acceptance must be unconditional and correspond with the exact terms proposed by the offeror. This chapter also examines principles that determine when an agreement can be enforced with sufficient certainty and whether liability will arise in the absence of agreement. An apparent contract will be void if the terms are considered too uncertain or where there is no context for gap filling. But this must be balanced with the need to prevent the parties from using allegations of uncertainty to escape from bad bargains. This chapter therefore considers how the courts deal with the difficult question over agreements to agree.