Legal Opinion
Qualitex Co. v. Jacobson Products Co.
Supreme Court of the United States
Decided March 28, 1995No. 93-1577PublishedCited by 567 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtJustice Breyer
The question in this case is whether the Trademark Act of 1946 (Lanham Act), 15 U. S. C. §§ 1051-1127 (1988 ed. and Supp. V), permits the registration of a trademark that con sists, purely and simply, of a color. We conclude that, sometimes, a color will meet ordinary legal trademark requirements. And, when it does so, no special legal rule prevents color alone from serving as a trademark.
I
The case before us grows out of petitioner Qualitex Company’s use (since the 1950’s) of a special shade of green-gold color on the pads that it makes and sells to dry cleaning firms for use on dry cleaning…
2Cases cited24 opinions
- Two Pesos, Inc. v. Taco Cabana, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 1992
- Inwood Laboratories, Inc. v. Ives Laboratories, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 1982
- Park 'N Fly, Inc. v. Dollar Park & Fly, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 1985
- Abercrombie & Fitch Company v. Hunting World, IncorporatedCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit · 1976
- Kellogg Co. v. National Biscuit Co.Supreme Court of the United States · 1938
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3Cited by567 opinions
- Brookfield Communications, Inc. v. West Coast Entertainment CorporationCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · 1999
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- Clicks Billiards Inc., a Texas Corporation v. Sixshooters Inc., an Arizona Corporation Ronald R. Forbes, a Married Man Jane Doe Forbes, WifeCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · 2001
- TrafFix Devices, Inc. v. Marketing Displays, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 2001
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