YOU'RE WATCHING THE 10 O'CLOCK
NEWS. THE SUPREME COURT HAS
AGREED TO HEAR A CASE THAT COULD
HAVE MAJOR IMPLICATIONS ON
TRADEMARK LAW CENTER OF IT ALL.
JACK DANIELS AND A DOG TOY,
LINDA SCHMIDT, EXPLAINS HOW WE
GOT TO THIS POINT. IT IS JACK
DANIELS WHISKEY UP AGAINST THE
MAKER OF A SQUEAKY DOG TOY THAT
LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE WHISKEY
COMPANY SIGNATURE BOTTLE. THE
SHOWDOWN HAPPENING BEFORE THE US
SUPREME COURT. IT'S NOT JUST A
JOKE. ARMOR IS THE CHIEF LEGAL
OFFICER FOR THE DISTILLED
SPIRITS COUNCIL, SHE SAYS THE
DOGGIE TOY MAY SEEM FUNNY AND
HARMLESS. BUT PRODUCTS LIKE
THESE THAT MIMIC MAJOR BRANDS
TARNISHED THEIR IMAGE AND COULD
BE DANGEROUS. IN SOME CASES, YOU
CAN SEE UH, T SHIRTS THAT ARE
GLAMORIZING BLACKING OUT OR
USING ALCOHOL AS A YOU KNOW, A
FORM OF MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT
. THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE
WORK VERY HARD TO NOT PROMOTE
WITH OUR PRODUCTS, THE LEAD
ATTORNEY FOR JACK DANIELS
SAYING, EVERYONE LIKES A GOOD
JOKE. BUT IF THE TOYMAKER IS
ALLOWED TO CONFUSE CONSUMERS
WITH ITS DOG TOYS THEN OTHER
FUNNY INFRINGERS CAN DO THE SAME
WITH JUICE BOXES OR MARIJUANA
INFUSED CANDY. THE DOGGIE TOY
MAKER IS VIP PRODUCTS OUT OF
ARIZONA, AND THE COMPANY
BELIEVES IT HAS A FIRST
AMENDMENT RIGHT TO PARODY THE
FAMOUS WHISKEY BOTTLE. IT IS
IRONIC THAT AMERICA'S LEADING
DISTILLER OF WHISKEY LACKS A
SENSE OF HUMOR AND HAS WAGED WAR
ATTORNEY ROBERT GREENER IS A
TRADEMARK AND COPYRIGHT LAWYER.
DOES THE PARODY ACTUALLY. DILUTE
THEIR BRAND AND IN A WAY IT KIND
OF DOES. ATTORNEY GREENER SAYS
JACK DANIELS MIGHT END UP
WINNING WELL, IT'S A VERY
CONSERVATIVE COURT THAT WE HAVE
RIGHT NOW. SO THERE IS A GOOD
CHANCE THAT THEY WILL SIDE WITH
THE CORPORATION. LINDA SCHMIDT,