Rosetta Stone Complaint

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COOLEY GODWARD KRONISH LLPBENJAMIN CHAPMAN (California Bar No. 234436)4401 Eastgate MallSan Diego, California 92121Telephone: (858) 550-6000; Facsimile: (858) 550-6420E-mail: bchapman@cooley.comCOOLEY GODWARD KRONISH LLPPETER J. WILLSEY (

Pro Hac Vice pending

)NISHAN KOTTAHACHCHI (California Bar No. 221612)BRENDAN J. HUGHES (

Pro Hac Vice pending

)777 6

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Street, NWWashington, D.C. 20001Telephone:(202) 842-7800; Facsimile: (202) 842-7899E-mail: pwillsey@cooley.com; nkottahachchi@cooley.comAttorneys for R

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. UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTCENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIAWESTERN DIVISIONROSETTA STONE LTD., a Virginiacorporation,Plaintiff,v.ROCKET LANGUAGES LTD., aNew Zealand registered company;LIBROS MEDIA LTD., a NewZealand registered company;MATTHEW WEIDNER, anindividual residing in South Carolina;ISHMAEL LOPEZ, an individualresiding in Illinois; and Does 1-10,Defendants.

Case No.COMPLAINT FOR:(1) TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENTUNDER 15 U.S.C. §§ 1114 AND1125(a);(2) TRADEMARK DILUTION UNDER15 U.S.C. § 1125(a);(3) UNFAIR COMPETITION ANDFALSE ADVERTISING UNDER 15U.S.C. § 1125(a);(4) UNFAIR COMPETITION ANDFALSE ADVERTISING UNDER CAL.BUS. & PROF. CODE §§ 17200 and17500,

ET SEQ;

(5) CONTRIBUTORY TRADEMARKINFRINGEMENT; AND(6) VICARIOUS TRADEMARKINFRINGEMENT

Plaintiff ROSETTA STONE LTD. complains and alleges against ROCKETLANGUAGES LTD., a New Zealand registered company; LIBROS MEDIA LTD.,

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a New Zealand registered company; Matthew Weidner, an individual residing inSouth Carolina; Ishmael Lopez, an individual residing in Illinois; and Does 1 - 10(collectively, “Defendants”) as follows.

PARTIES1.

Plaintiff Rosetta Stone Ltd.

(“Plaintiff” or “Rosetta Stone”) is acorporation organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, with itsprincipal place of business at 1101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1130, Arlington,Virginia 22209.

2.

On information and belief, Defendant Rocket Languages Ltd.(“Rocket Languages”) is a corporation organized under the laws of New Zealand,with its principal place of business at P.O. Box 2831 Level 2-107 Cashel Street,Christchurch 8011, New Zealand. On information and belief, Rocket Languagesmaintains an office at 8721 Santa Monica Blvd. #1220, Los Angeles, California90069, where it conducts its U.S. operations.

3.

On information and belief, Defendant Libros Media Ltd. (“LibrosMedia”) is a registered company organized under the laws of New Zealand, with itsprincipal place of business at P.O. Box 2831 Level 2-107 Cashel Street,Christchurch 8011, New Zealand. On information and belief, Libros Mediamaintains an office at 8721 Santa Monica Blvd. #1220, Los Angeles, California90069, where it conducts its U.S. operations.

4.

On information and belief, Defendant Matthew Weidner(“Weidner”), an individual residing at 168 Spring Street, Charleston, SouthCarolina 29403, owns and operates numerous websites including, but not limited to,those located athttp://www.spanishsoftwarereview.comandhttp://www.topratedspanish.com.

5.

On information and belief, Defendant Ishmael Lopez (“Lopez”),an individual residing at 2244 220th Street, Sauk Village, Illinois 60411, owns and

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operates numerous websites, including but not limited to, those located athttp://www.gainspanish.com/rosetta-stone/ ,http://www.learnspanishreviewer.com, andhttp://www.spanishscams.com/rosetta-stone/ .

6.

Plaintiff is presently unaware of the true names of the Defendantsidentified in the Complaint under the fictitious names Does 1-10. On informationand belief, Does 1-10 are unlawfully and unfairly using, without authorization,Plaintiff’s ROSETTA STONE® trademark, and confusingly similar variationsthereof, in connection with websites and other forms of on-line advertising thatpromote, market, and sell Rocket Languages computer software. Plaintiff willamend its Complaint to identify the names of the Doe Defendants as they arediscovered.

JURISDICTION AND VENUE7.

This action arises under the federal trademark statute (the “LanhamAct”), 15 U.S.C. § 1051

et seq.

, and under the common law of the State of California. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over the federal trademark,false advertising, and unfair competition claims pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 1121 and28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1332, 1338, and 1367. The Court has subject matter jurisdiction over the related California state law claims pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§1338 and 1367.

8.

The amount in controversy between the parties exceeds $75,000.

9.

Plaintiff is informed and believes, and on that basis alleges, that thisCourt has personal jurisdiction over Defendants because they have extensivecontacts with, and conduct business within, the State of California and this judicialdistrict; Defendants have caused Rocket Languages software products to beadvertised, promoted, and sold in this judicial district; the causes of action assertedin this Complaint arise out of Defendants’ contacts with this judicial district; andbecause Defendants have caused tortious injury to Plaintiff in this judicial district.