No. 21-247

Coalition for Better Government, et al. v. Alliance for Good Government

Lower Court: Fifth Circuit
Docketed: 2021-08-20
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: attorney-fees chilling-effect commercial-speech fee-shifting first-amendment lanham-act non-commercial-speech political-speech
Key Terms:
FirstAmendment DueProcess Trademark Patent JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2021-10-15
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Should the Lanham Act be extended to non-commercial political speech?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED The Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1051 et seq., explicitly protects against the potential chilling of First Amendment-protected speech like that in this case by including in each of its remedial provisions a qualification that the offending use of the mark must have been for commercial purposes. In this case, the Fifth Circuit decision in Alliance I to hold Coalition liable under the Lanham Act for non-commercial political speech was clearly erroneous and results in manifest injustice. Furthermore, the Fifth Circuit decision in Alliance I to hold Jacobs personally liable for the award of attorneys’ fees as Coalition’s counsel under the Lanham Act’s fee-shifting provision, 15 U.S.C. § 1117(a) is unwarranted and contrary to congressional intent. The questions presented are: 1. Should this Court permit the Lanham Act to be extended to non-commercial political speech? 2. Should this Court permit the imposition of a sanction of attorney fees awarded against Counsel for Coalition pursuant to the fee shifting provision of the Lanham Act?

Docket Entries

2021-10-18
Petition DENIED.
2021-09-29
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/15/2021.
2021-09-14
Waiver of right of respondent Alliance for Good Governent to respond filed.
2021-08-18
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 20, 2021)

Attorneys

Alliance for Good Governent
Richard T. SahucIntellectual Property Consulting, LLC, Respondent
Richard T. SahucIntellectual Property Consulting, LLC, Respondent
Coaltion for Better Government and Darleen Jacobs
Darleen M. JacobsDarleen M. Jacobs, APLC., Petitioner
Darleen M. JacobsDarleen M. Jacobs, APLC., Petitioner