Wal-Mart Stores v. Samara Brothers

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Samara Brothers, Inc. · 2000 · Supreme Court of the United States

What happened

The Court held that product design trade dress can never be inherently distinctive and always requires secondary meaning.

The money

No reliable public figure. This dispute matters for the rule it settled rather than for a damages number, and many trademark matters resolve on confidential terms.

What it means for your business

The shape of your product is harder to protect than your logo or packaging. If design is your differentiator, you will need evidence that buyers associate that design with you specifically.

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