Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Main Menu

Taylor v. Thomas, et al

Court:
Western District of Tennessee
Subject Matter:
Trademark
Procedural Posture:
Jury Trial
  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 1)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 1)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 1), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 1), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 2)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 2)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 2), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 2), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 3)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 3)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 3), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 3), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 4)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 4)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 4), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 4), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 5)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 5)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 5), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 5), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 6)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 6)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 6), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 6), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 7)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 7)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 7), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 7), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/23/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 8)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 8)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 8), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 8), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 9)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 9)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 9), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 9), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 10)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 10)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 10), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 10), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 11)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 11)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 11), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 11), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 12)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 12)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 12), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 12), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 13)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 13)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 13), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 13), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 14)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 14)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 14), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 14), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 15)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 15)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 15), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 15), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 16)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 16)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 16), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 16), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 17)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 17)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 17), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 17), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 18)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 18)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 18), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 18), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 19)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 19)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 19), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 19), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 20)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 20)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 20), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 20), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 21)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 21)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 21), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 21), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/24/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 22)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 22)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 22), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 22), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 23)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 23)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 23), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 23), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 24)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 24)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 24), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 24), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 25)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 25)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 25), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 25), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 26)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 26)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 26), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 26), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 27)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 27)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 27), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 27), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 28)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 28)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 28), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 28), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 29)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 29)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 29), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 29), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 30)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 30)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 30), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 30), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 31)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 31)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 31), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 31), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/25/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

  • Taylor v. Thomas (Part 32)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 32)
    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 32), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/26/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building, Memphis, TN. District Judge Jon McCalla presiding.

    Taylor v. Thomas (Part 32), Case Number 12-CV-02309, Jury Trial, 9/26/2013, 9:00 AM (CDT), Clifford Davis/Odell Horton...

Case Summary: 12-CV-02309

Plaintiff Fontaine Taylor, a real estate agent in Memphis, Tennessee, brought this action against Defendant Mark Thomas, also a real estate agent, alleging unauthorized use of Plaintiff’s service mark on Defendant’s marketing signs in violation of the Lanham Act and Tennessee state law. The service mark at issue shows a blue city skyline behind the name of Plaintiff’s company printed in red lettering. The service mark was never registered, but the court granted partial summary judgment on January 22, 2013 affirming Plaintiff’s ownership of the mark.

Defendant worked for Plaintiff for 17 years before moving to another brokerage firm in 2011. In 2012, Defendant began using marketing materials with a blue skyline behind red lettering, which he continued using until the court ordered a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction as part of these proceedings. Defendant then began using new signs with an uneven blue horizon behind red lettering.

This video shows the jury trial beginning on September 23, 2013. On September 26, the jury returned a verdict finding that the first sign with a blue skyline background, but not the second sign with an uneven blue horizon, violated the Lanham Act and Tennessee state law because it was likely to be confused with Plaintiff’s mark. Plaintiff was awarded damages totaling $97,270, attorneys’ fees and costs totaling $237,982, and a permanent injunction enjoining Defendant from using the blue skyline image.

Case Highlights

  • Complaint filed 4/20/2012 (Doc #1)
  • Preliminary injunction granted 5/07/2012 (Doc #37)
  • Answer filed 7/23/2012 (Doc #69)
  • Jury Trial held 9/23-9/26/2013 (Doc #233-238)
  • Jury verdict entered 9/26/2013 (Doc #241)

Case-related documents, including those referenced above, are available via the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service. For more information, visit Pacer.gov.