On April 5, STL reported on a Western District order dismissing on copyright preemption grounds unfair competition and unjust enrichment claims MEECO Manufacturing Co., Inc., had brought against True Value Co. MEECO claimed in the suit True Value uses and displays images of MEECO’S RED DEVIL fireplace products in its electronic catalog without authorization and ships competing products when it receives orders for those products. The court found the product labels and logo at issue came within the subject matter of MEECO’s copyright registrations and the unfair competition and unjust enrichment claims really amounted to a copyright claim.
Yesterday, Judge Robert Lasnik granted the parties’ agreed motion to dismiss MEECO’s claims against True Value. The order does not affect True Value’s claims against Imperial Sheet Metal, Ltd., and Imperial Manufacturing Group, which True Value joined in May as third-party defendants. The third-party complaint alleges that Imperial is responsible for any trademark infringement the court finds in the case.
The case cite is MEECO Manufacturing Co., Inc. v. True Value Co., No. 06-1582 (W.D. Wash.).