Question Presented (AI Summary)
Whether protection of a non-English mark is controlled by consumer perception of the mark taken at face value or controlled by its English translation
Question Presented (from Petition)
Under the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1051 et seq. , no mark shall be refused nationwide protection as a registered trademark on account of its nature unless, inter alia , a mark is: (i) descriptive and lacks acquired distinctiveness; or (ii) generic, regardless of whether the mark has acquired distinctiveness. Descriptiveness and genericness of a non-English mark is currently determined based on its English translation when applying a judicially created guideline referred to as “the doctrine of foreign equivalents.” When a court or the United States Patent and Trademark Office elects to invoke this doctrine, protectability of a non-English mark is dictated by its English translation, rather than the non-English mark on its face (without English translation). 1. Whether protection of a non-English mark is controlled by consumer perception of the mark taken at face value or controlled by its English translation. 2. What is the proper test for determining genericness or descriptiveness of a non-English mark?
2025-12-10
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
2025-12-05
Reply of Vetements Group AG submitted.
2025-12-05
Reply of petitioner Vetements Group AG filed.
2025-11-21
Brief of Coke Morgan Stewart, Acting Under Secretary Of Commerce For Intellectual Property And Acting Director Of The United States Patent And Trademark Office in opposition submitted.
2025-11-21
Brief of respondent Coke Morgan Stewart, Acting Under Secretary Of Commerce For Intellectual Property And Acting Director Of The United States Patent And Trademark Office in opposition filed.
2025-10-10
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including November 21, 2025.
2025-10-09
Motion of Coke Morgan Stewart, Acting Under Secretary Of Commerce For Intellectual Property And Acting Director Of The United States Patent And Trademark Office for an extension of time submitted.
2025-10-09
Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 22, 2025 to November 21, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
2025-09-09
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including October 22, 2025.
2025-09-08
Motion of Coke Morgan Stewart, Acting Under Secretary Of Commerce For Intellectual Property And Acting Director Of The United States Patent And Trademark Office for an extension of time submitted.
2025-09-08
Motion to extend the time to file a response from September 22, 2025 to October 22, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
2025-08-19
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 22, 2025)