Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Electronic Filing System. http://estta.uspto.gov
`
`ESTTA Tracking number:
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`ESTTA915025
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`Filing date:
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`08/10/2018
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`Proceeding
`
`92068857
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`Party
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`Correspondence
`Address
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`Defendant
`SafeRack, LLC
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`SAFERACK LLC
`219 SAFETY AVENUE
`ANDREWS, SC 29510
`UNITED STATES
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`Submission
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`Filer's Name
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`Filer's email
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`Signature
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`Date
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`Attachments
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`Motion to Suspend for Civil Action
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`Sara Centioni Kanos
`
`skanos@nexsenpruet.com, cblackburn@nexsenpruet.com,
`mmanos@nexsenpruet.com, dleclerc@nexsenpruet.com, knun-
`ez@nexsenpruet.com
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`/sara centioni kanos/
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`08/10/2018
`
`Motion to Stay Cancellation.pdf(72528 bytes )
`Exhibit A pleadings.pdf(732716 bytes )
`Exhibit B order.pdf(299265 bytes )
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`

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`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`
`In the matter of Trademark
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`Registration No. 5211514
`Registration Date: May 30, 2017
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`Mark:
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`Bullard Company,
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`
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`Petitioner,
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`v.
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`SafeRack, LLC,
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`Registrant.
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`Opposition No. 92068857
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`REGISTRANT’S MOTION TO SUSPEND CANCELLATION
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`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. §§ 2.117(a) and (c) and TBMP § 510.02, SafeRack, LLC
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`(“Registrant”), by and through its undersigned counsel, hereby moves to suspend the
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`instant proceedings until final determination of a civil action filed by Registrant in the
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`U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina, Charleston Division.
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`I. INTRODUCTION
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`Registrant provides metal fall protection equipment and related components with
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`the following mark (hereinafter “Orange Mark”):
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`Registrant filed a federal application for registration of Registrant’s Orange Mark on
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`June 11, 2014. The Office issued a registration on May 30, 3017 (the “Registration”).
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`On June 20, 2017, Registrant filed a lawsuit against Petitioner in the District
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`Court of South Carolina, Charleston Division (the “Litigation”).1 Registrant sued for
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`infringement of its trademark rights in the Orange Mark. See Attached as Exhibit A,
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`Registrant’s Complaint and Petitioner’s Answer.
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`Although Petitioner’s Answer did not include a claim for cancellation of the
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`Registration, Petitioner did assert affirmative defenses based on similar allegations to
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`those in the instant Petition for Cancellation. These include: functionality (fifth affirmative
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`defense); inherent distinctiveness (seventh affirmative defense); generic (eleventh
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`affirmative defense); secondary meaning
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`(twelfth affirmative defense); and
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`abandonment (twenty-third affirmative defense). See Exhibit A, Answer at p. 7-10.
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`Despite having opportunity in the Litigation to explore these defenses, Petitioner
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`waited over one year to assert the same allegations in the instant proceeding (the
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`“Cancellation”). In conjunction with the filing of the Cancellation, Petitioner also moved
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`unsuccessfully to stay the Litigation. See Order Denying Petitioner’s Motion to Stay
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`attached as Exhibit B.
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`1 Registrant’s lawsuit, Civil Action No. 2:17-cv-1613-RMG, has been pending for over one year, and is set
`for trial on or after December 2018. By separate motion, Registrant also seeks a dismissal of the
`Cancellation based on Petitioner’s failure to state a claim.
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`2
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`

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`Maintaining this proceeding in parallel with the Litigation violates principles of
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`judicial economy, creates unnecessary delay in the determination of Registrant’s rights,
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`and fosters duplication of effort. Bullard failed to demonstrate a pressing need to
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`proceed with this Cancellation. See Exhibit B, at p. 5 (“Bullard’s attempt to
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`demonstrate such a pressing need is belied by the fact that it waited over one year to
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`initiate the proceedings before the TTAB.”). As explained by the District Court of South
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`Carolina in the attached order denying Petitioner’s Motion to Stay the Litigation:
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`Notably, this is not a case involving merely whether a trademark should be
`registered, an issue squarely in the purview of the TTAB. Instead,
`Plaintiffs here bring claims for infringement and unfair competition,
`seeking both damages and injunctive relief. These issues, therefore,
`would not be significantly simplified by waiting for the resolution of the
`TTAB proceedings.
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`(internal citations omitted).
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`Also significant, the Litigation is quickly approaching a final determination.
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`Discovery closes in the Litigation on September 1, 2018, and trial is set for on or after
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`December 1, 2018.
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`For these and following reasons, Registrant asserts that suspension of the
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`Cancellation is warranted.
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`II. ARGUMENT
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`The Board commonly suspends proceedings if a final determination of a U.S.
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`District Court action will have a bearing on the issues that the Board is considering.
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`See 37 C.F.R. §2.117(c), and TBMP §510.02(a). See also New Orleans Louisiana
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`Saints LLC and NFL Properties LLC v. Who Dat?, Inc., 99 U.S.P.Q.2d 1550,2011 WL
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`3381380 (T.T.A.B. 2011) (Opposition proceedings suspending because in pending civil
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`
`
`3
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`

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`litigation applicant alleged infringement. The civil action need not be dispositive, it need
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`only have a bearing on the issues before the Board). Further, the Board maintains
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`broad discretion to suspend proceedings for good cause. See 37 C.F.R. §2.117(c).
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`When a civil action in a U.S. District Court involves common issues with those
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`issues pending in a Board proceeding, the decision of the U.S. District Court will be
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`binding upon the Board. See TBMP §510.02(a). See also Tokaido v. Honda
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`Associates, Inc., 179 U.S.P.Q. 861, 862 (T.T.A.B. 1973) (“[I]t is clear that the outcome
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`of the civil suit may well be dispositive of the issues raised by the pleadings of the
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`parties in the cancellation proceeding before the Board.”); Townley Clothes, Inc. v.
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`Goldring, Inc., 100 U.S.P.Q. 57, 58 (Comr., 1953) (holding that “it is deemed to be the
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`sounder practice to suspend the [Trademark] Office proceedings pending termination of
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`the [civil] [c]ourt action”); Squirrel Brand Company v. Barnard Nut Co. Inc., 101 U.S.P.Q.
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`340 (Comr., 1954) (Holding that proceedings were properly suspended where “the
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`controlling issues presented for determination are necessarily the same as those of a
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`civil action for infringement involving the same parties and trademarks”).
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`A review of the parties’ pleadings demonstrates that the Litigation and the
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`Cancellation share common issues. Petitioner’s affirmative defenses are nearly
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`identical to the allegations supporting the Cancellation. Any findings made by the U.S.
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`District Court as to these affirmative defenses significantly impacts the Cancellation.
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`What is more, Registrant seeks injunctive relief in the Litigation, which would also likely
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`impact Petitioner’s claim.
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`In addition to serving judicial economy, the parties expect a final determination of
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`the Litigation in fairly short order, namely months, not years. As explained, trial is set
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`4
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`

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`for the Litigation on or after December 2018. By contrast, the Cancellation has just
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`begun, and the schedule sets out deadlines into 2020.
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`Based upon the foregoing, Registrant respectfully asserts that a stay of the
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`Cancellation pending final determination of the Litigation is warranted.
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`III. CONCLUSION.
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`
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`Applicant respectfully requests that the Board grant this Motion to Suspend the
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`Cancellation. The Litigation is the more advanced case, shares certain common issues
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`with the Cancellation which will be controlled by the District Court ruling. Therefore, the
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`TTAB should await the ruling before proceeding rather than having to determine the
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`
`
`__________________
`Sara C. Kanos
`Cherie Blackburn
`Marc A. Manos
`55 E. Camperdown Way, Suite 400
`Greenville, South Carolina 29601
`(T) 864.282.1171
`(F) 864.282.1177
`e-mails: skanos@nexsenpruet.com;
`cblackburn@nexsenpruet.com;
`mmanos@nexsenpruet.com;
`dleclerc@nexsenpruet.com
`
`Attorneys for Registrant
`
`
`
`
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`
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`impact of the ruling in the middle or the Cancellation proceedings.
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`Respectfully submitted,
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`NEXSEN PRUET, LLC
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`August 10, 2018
`Greenville, SC
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`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`In the matter of Trademark
`
`Registration No. 5211514
`Registration Date: May 30, 2017
`
`Mark:
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Bullard Company,
`
`
`
`Petitioner,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`v.
`
`SafeRack, LLC,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Registrant.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Opposition No. 92068857
`
`
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
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`
`
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`I, Sara C. Kanos, attorney of Nexsen Pruet, LLC, attorneys for Registrant, hereby
`
`certify that a true, correct, and complete copy of the foregoing:
`
`MOTION TO SUSPEND
`
`
`was served on Petitioner’s attorney of record at the following address:
`
`
`Todd M. Hess
`
`
`
`6
`
`

`

`Barnwell Whaley Patterson & Helms LLC
`288 Meeting St. STE 200
`Charleston, SC 29401
`thess@barnewell-whaley.com
`
`Executed on August 10, 2018 at Greenville, South Carolina.
`
`
`postage prepaid by first-class mail on August 10, 2018.
`kk
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`NEXSEN PRUET, LLC
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`______________________________________________
`Sara C. Kanos
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`7
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`

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`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`
`In the matter of Trademark
`
`Registration No. 5211514
`Registration Date: May 30, 2017
`
`Mark:
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Bullard Company,
`
`
`
`Petitioner,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`v.
`
`SafeRack, LLC,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Registrant.
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`Opposition No. 92068857
`
`EXHIBIT A – CIVIL ACTION PLEADINGS (COMPLAINT AND ANSWER)
`
`

`

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`2:17-cv-01613-RMG Date Filed 06/20/17
`Entry Number 1
`Page 4 of 12
`,-./01203.4.5067899999:;<=9>?@=A934B,3B./9999CD<EF9GHIJ=E9.99999K;L=9M9NO9.,
`
`15.
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`16.
`Specifically, Defendant has commenced selling equipment bearing the color orange
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`Entry Number 1
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`
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`18.
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`2:17-cv-01613-RMG Date Filed 06/20/17
`Entry Number 1
`Page 11 of 12
`-./012314/5/61789:::::;<=>:?@A>B:45C-4C/0::::DE=FG:HIJK>F:/:::::L<M>://:NO:/-
`
`(d)
`That Defendant pay to Plaintiff all damages it has suffered by reason of Defendant’ s
`  
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`
`acts complained of herein;
`   

 
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`(e)
`That Defendant pay to Plaintiff exemplary and treble damages as allowed by the
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`statutes and laws referenced herein;
`    

   
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`(D
`That Defendant pay to Plaintiff profits obtained by Defendant associated with the
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`acts described herein;
`    
`
`(g)
`That Defendant pay to Plaintiff pre-judgment interest on any damages awarded to
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`Plaintiff;
` 


`
`(h)
`That Defendant be ordered and required to pay punitive damages for it acts
` 
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`described herein;
`   
`
`(i)
`That Defendant be ordered and required to pay all costs associated with this action,
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`including attorneys’ fees incurred by Plaintiff; and
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`(i)
`That Defendant be awarded such other and further relief as this Court may deem
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`Respectfully submitted,
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`NEXSEN PRUET, LLC
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`11
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`2:17-cv-01613-RMG Date Filed 06/20/17
`Entry Number 1
`Page 12 of 12
`ABCDEFGEHCICJEKLMNNNNNOPQRNSTURVNHIWAHWCDNNNNXYQZ[N\]^_RZNCNNNNN`PaRNCANbcNCA
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`s/Cherie W. Blackburn
`
` 

 
`Cherie W. Blackburn (Federal ID No. 1575)
`
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`Angelica M. Colwell (Federal ID No. 9689)
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`NEXSEN PRUET, LLC
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`205 King Street, Suite 400 (29401)
`!1$ 2'2 "
`PO. Box 486
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`Charleston, SC 29402
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`Phone: (843) 577-9440
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`Facsimile: (843) 720-1777
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`cblackburn@nexsenpruet.com
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`acolwell@nexsenpruet.com
`

&94: 8
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` /
`
`Timothy D. St. Clair (Federal ID No. 4270)
`8;
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`Sara C. Kanos (Federal ID No. 9978)
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`1



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`NEXSEN PRUET, LLC
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`55 E. Camperdown Way, Suite 400
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`Greenville, South Carolina 29601
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`Phone: (864) 370-2211
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`Facsimile: (864) 282-1177
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`tstclair@nexsenpruet.com
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`skanos@nexsenpruet.com
`

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`ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF
`//3- *>3-,0# /
`SAFERACK, LLC
`#*-#
`100
`
`
`
` #
`
` 
`
`June 20, 2017
`
`Charleston, South Carolina
`
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`2:17-cv-01613-RMG Date Filed 08/03/17
`Entry Number 9
`Page 2 of 12
`\]^_`ab`c^d^e`fghiiiiijklminopmqicrsces^_iiiitulvwixyz{mvi|iiiii}k~mi\i€i^\
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`
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`JURISDICTION AND VENUE
` 
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`4.
`Bullard admits that SafeRack asserts claims under the Federal Trademark Act, 15
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`U.S.C. §§ 1119 and 1121,
`that the Court has federal jurisdiction over such claims and
`7*8$99$555:$!0#$55;54$')!'$'),$8<"'$)!($+,#,"! $="&(#&.'&<0$<>,"$(.)$. !&%($!0#$
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`supplemental jurisdiction over the State of South Carolina statutory and common law claims
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`alleged in Paragraph 4. Bullard denies the substance of all alleged claims.
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`5.
`Bullard denies the allegations of Paragraph 5, and Bullard denies that it is subject
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`to personal jurisdiction in South Carolina.
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`6.
`Bullard admits that there is diversity of citizenship between the parties. Bullard
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`denies all of the remaining allegations of Paragraph 6.
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`7.
`Bullard denies that it is subject to personal jurisdiction in this District, or that
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`venue is proper in this District.
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`FACTUAL BACKGROUND
`IJKLM
`
`A.
`The SafeRack Marks
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`
`8.
`Bullard lacks knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth
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`
`or falsity of the allegations of Paragraph 8, and therefore denies such allegations.
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`
`9.
`Bullard lack