Lanham Act

The Lanham Act allows sellers and producers of goods and services to prevent a competitor from:


 * (1) using any counterfeit, copy, or imitation of their trademarks (that have been

registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office), in connection with the sale of any goods or services in a way that is likely to cause confusion, mistake, or deception,6 or
 * (2) using in commercial advertising any word, term, name, symbol, or device, or

any false or misleading designation of origin or false or misleading description or representation of fact, which:
 * (a) is likely to cause confusion, mistake, or deception as to affiliation, connection, or association, or as to origin, sponsorship, or approval, of his or her goods, services, or commercial activities by another person, or
 * (b) misrepresents the nature, characteristics, qualities, or geographic origin of his or her or another person’s goods, services, or commercial activities.

In addition, the Lanham Act grants to owners of famous trademarks the right to seek injunctive relief against another person’s use in commerce of a mark or trade name if such use causes dilution by blurring or tarnishment of the distinctive quality of the famous trademark.