Review of the 1999 Trademark Decisions of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

the new millennium.Of all the Federal Circuit trademark cases decided in 1999, half contain issues of first impression or holdings that broaden or overrule previous decisions.2 In addition, the court reversed or vacated lower decisions seven times, further evidencing the Federal Circuit's reputation for independent thinking.3 I.THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT ADDRESSES PROCEDURAL ISSUES Several of the 1999 Federal Circuit trademark decisions were significant for procedural reasons.The Court addressed: the secondary meaning); Amp Plus, Inc. v. Juno Lighting, Inc., No. 581, 582, 1999 WL 426393, *1 (Fed.Cir.June 3, 1999) (unpublished opinion) (denying a petition for interlocutory appeal); In re Storopack Hans Reichenecker GmbH & Co., No. 98-1588, 1999 WL 302320, *1 (Fed.Cir.May 6, 1999) (unpublished opinion) (declining to grant a trademark registration because the product name was simply descriptive); Midwest Indus.v. Karavan Trailers, Inc., 175 F.3d 1356, 1360, 50 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) 1672, 1676 (Fed.Cir.1999) (en banc) (applying Federal Circuit law instead of Eighth Circuit law in considering questions of substantive patent law); Sunrise Jewelry Mfg.v. Fred S.A., 175 F.3d 1322, 1326, 50 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) 1532, 1536 (Fed.Cir.1999) (holding that registration of trade dress which is generic may be cancelled); Al-Site Corp. v. VSI Int'l, 174 F.3d 1308, 1317, 50 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) 1161, 1165 (Fed.Cir.1999) (affirming in part the determination that patent for hanger used to display non-prescription eyeglasses was literally infringed); Ritchie v. Simpson, 170 F.3d 1092, 1097, 50 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) 1023, 1028 (Fed.Cir.1999) (granting an individual standing to challenge proposed trademarks by O.J. Simpson) [hereinafter "Ritchie II"], rev'g Ritchie v. Simpson, 41 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) 1859 (T.T.A.B. 1996) [hereinafter "Ritchie I"].2. See Wada, 194 F.3d at 1299-1300, 52 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) at 1542 (affirming rejection of application seeking to register mark "NEW YORK WAYS GALLERY" for various leather products, and holding that mark was geographically misdescriptive, and therefore was not registerable); American Fertility Soc'y, 188 F.3d at 1345-48, 51 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) at 1837 (vacating board's ruling that mark was generic due to application of an incorrect legal standard); Int'l Flavors, 183 F.3d at 1365-66, 51 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) at 1518 (ruling broadly that "phantom" trademarks cannot be federally registered); Zenith, 182 F.3d at 1346, 50 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) at 1341 (retaining jurisdiction even though all patent claims had been dismissed); Pep Boys, 1999 WL 595145 at *1 (restricting ability to appeal); Midwest Indus., 175 F.3d at 1359, 50 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) at 1675 (overruling three prior decisions); Sunrise Jewelry, 175 F.3d at 1326-27, 50 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) at 1536 (expanding the applicability of generic trade dress); Ritchie II, 170 F.3d at 1093, 50 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) at 1027 (expanding the standing doctrine for third parties to challenge proposed trademarks).3. See Ritchie II, 170 F.3d at 1099, 50 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) at 1029 (reversing and remanding); Al-Site, 174 F.3d at 1332, 50 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) at 1177 (affirming in part, reversing in part); Sunrise Jewelry, 175 F.3d at 1343, 50 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) at 1536 (affirming in part, vacating in part, and remanding); Midwest Indus., 175 F.3d at 1365, 50 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) at 1679 (reversing and remanding); Riggs Mktg., 1999 WL 399710, at *6 (reversing in part, affirming in part); Am.Fertility Soc'y, 188 F.3d at 1349, 51 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) at 1837-38 (vacating and remanding); Kichler II, 192 F.3d at 1353, 52 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) at 1310 (reversing and remanding); see also Stephen R. Baird, Review of the 1993 Trademark Decisions of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 43 AM.U. L. REV.1559, 1583 (1994) (noting the Federal Circuit's 1993 decisions reflected "independent thinking"