`ATTORNEY AND COUNSELOR AT LAW
`4605 Pembroke Lake Circle, Suite 103
`Virginia Beach, Virginia 23455
`Office: (757) 490-8586
`Fax:
`(757) 363-3405
`
`William@wi11iamsykeslaw.com
`
`October 31, 2005
`
`Cheryl Butler
`Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
`P. O, Box 1451
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1451
`
`Re: Mattel, Inc. v. Patricia G. Briden
`Opposition No. 91—160087
`
`Dear Ms. Butler:
`
`Please file the enclosed Motion for Summary Judgment with this case.
`
`Please give me a call if you have any questions or if you need additional
`information. Thank you!
`
`Sincerely,
`
`6%I||ia§ G ykes
`
`cc:
`
`Jill M. Pietrini, Esquire
`Patricia G. Briden
`
`llllllllllll|||ll|||||ll|l|lllllllllllllllllllllll
`
`1 1-02-2005
`US. Patent & TM01‘c/TM Mail ficpt Dt. #64
`
`Environmental o Patents 0 Personal Injury 9 Product Liability 0 Toxic Mold Litigation
`
`
`
`
`
`Docket No. 12838-163
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
` In re Matter of Application No.
`
`78/223,428 for the mark: SOCK-UM
`
`Mattel, |nc.,
`
`Opposition No. 91-16008?
`
`0F’P°$e'»
`
`APPLlCANT’S
`MOTION OF
`
`
`
`Vs.
`
`SUMMARY JUDGMENT
`
`Patricia G. Briden,
`
`Applicant.
`
`Pursuant to Federal Civil Procedure Rules 56 and the Trademark Trial and
`
`Appeal Board (“TTAB”), Applicant, Patricia G. Briden ("Briden”), hereby moves the
`
`Board for Summary Judgment against Opposer, Mattel,
`
`lnc.,(“Matte|”) on the
`
`following grounds:
`
`1.
`
`Opposer, Mattel, has submitted all of their evidence to the Applicant,
`
`Briden. There is no evidence in this case to show that anyone would be confused to
`
`believe that Briden’s Mark, SOCK—UM,
`
`is confusingly similar to Mattel’s Mark,
`
`ROCK’EM SOCiK’EM ROBOTS. Mattel has not proved Briden’s application would
`
`cause a likelihood of confusion, mistake, or deception as to the source or origin of
`
`Mattel’s goods and Briden’s goods.
`
`2.
`
`Mattel has not submitted any evidence to show that an average
`
`purchaser will have the likelihood of confusion as to the source or origin of Mattel’s
`
`l
`
`
`
`
`
`goods and Briden’s goods.
`
`The test of likelihood of confusion is not whether the
`
`marks can be distinguished when subjected to a side-by—side comparison, but
`
`whether the marks are sufficiently similar that there is a likelihood of confusion as to
`
`the source of the goods or services. When considering the similarity of the marks,
`
`"[a]Il
`
`relevant
`
`facts pertaining to the appearance and connotation must be
`
`considered.” Recot, Inc. v. M.C. Becton, 214 F.3d 1322, 1329, 54 USPQ2d 1894,
`
`1897 (Fed. Cir. 2000).
`
`In evaluating the similarities between marks, the emphasis
`
`must be on the recollection of the average purchaser who normally retains a general,
`
`rather than specific, impression of trademarks. Sealed Air Corp. v. Scott Paper Co.,
`
`190 USPQ 106, 108 (TTAB 1975).
`
`3.
`
`Mattel has not submitted any evidence to prove that the public will be
`
`confused as to whether the goods belong to Mattel or Briden. The goods or services
`
`do not have to be identical or even competitive in order to determine that there is a
`
`likelihood of confusion. The inquiry is whether the goods are related, not identical.
`
`The issue is not whether the goods will be confused with each other, but rather
`
`whether the public will be confused about their source. See Safety—Kleen Corp. v.
`
`Dresser Indus., Inc., 518 F.2d 1399, 1404, 186 USPQ 476, 480 (C.C.P.A. 1975).
`
`It
`
`is sufficient that the goods or services of the applicant and the registrant are so
`
`related that the circumstances surrounding their marketing are such that they are
`
`likely to be encountered by the same persons under circumstances that would give
`
`rise to the mistaken belief that they originate from the same source. See, e.g., On-
`
`line Careline Inc. v. America Online lnc., 229 F .3d 1080, 56 USPQ2d 1471 (Fed. Cir.
`
`2000) (ON-LINIE TODAY for Internet connection services held likely to be confused
`
`with ONLINE TODAY for Internet content); In re Man‘in’s Famous Pastry Shoppe,
`
`lnc., 748 F.2d 1565, 223 USPQ 1289 (Fed. Cir. 1984) (MARTIN'S for wheat bran
`
`and honey bread held likely to be confused with MARTlN’S for cheese);
`
`In re
`
`Corning Glass Works, 229 USPQ 65 (TTAB 1985) (CONFIRM for a buffered solution
`
`equilibrated to yield predetermined dissolved gas values in a blood gas analyzer held
`
`likely to be confused with CONFIRMCELLS for diagnostic blood reagents for
`
`laboratory use); In re Jeep Corp., 222 USPQ 333 (TTAB 1984) (LAREDO for land
`
`vehicles and structural parts therefor held likely to be confused with LAREDO for
`
`2
`
`
`
`
`
`pneumatic tires).
`
`4.
`
`The burden in this case is for Mattel to prove that the consumer will
`
`erroneously believe that Briden’s goods are produced by or associated with Mattel.
`
`Mattel has not met this burden of proof.
`
`5.
`
`Applicant further alleges that there is no longer any material fact in this
`
`action genuinely in dispute.
`
`Wl-IEREFORE, Applicant, Patricia G. Briden, prays that she have summary
`
`judgment against Opposer, Mattel, Inc., and her costs expended in this action.
`
`Dated:
`October 31, 2005
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`
`
`squire
`ke
`William G.
`ation No. 50704
`USPTO Regi
`3669 Seagull Bluff Drive
`Virginia Beach, VA 23455-1721
`
`Attorney for Patricia G. Briden
`
`CERTIFICATE OF MAILING
`
`I hereby certify that this Motion for Summary Judgment is being deposited
`with the United States Postal Service, postage prepaid,
`first class mail,
`in an
`envelope addressed to Commissioner
`for Trademarks, Attn: Cheryl Butler,
`Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, Box 1451, Alexander, Virginia 22313-1451 and
`Jill M. Pietrini, Esquire at MANATT, PHELPS & PHILLIPS, LLP, 11355 W. Olympic
`Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90064
`
`this 31st d