Case 3:18-cv-01106-PK Document 1 Filed 06/25/18 Page 1 of 9
OWEN W. DUKELOW, OSB No. 965318
E-mail: owen@[Link]
DAVID P. COOOPER, OSB No. 880367
E-mail: cooper@[Link]
KOLISCH HARTWELL, P.C.
520 S.W. Yamhill Street, Suite 200
Portland, Oregon 97204
Telephone: (503) 224-6655
Facsimile: (503) 972-9115
Of Attorneys for Plaintiff
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF OREGON
PORTLAND DIVISION
PACIFIC FENCE AND WIRE COMPANY, Case No. 3:18-cv-01106
an Oregon corporation,
COMPLAINT FOR FEDERAL
Plaintiff, TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT,
UNFAIR COMPETITION, AND FALSE
v. DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN
M&M PACIFIC NW CONTRACTING DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
LLC, an Oregon limited liability
company, MIKE WORMINGTON, an
individual, and MELISSA K. GARRIS, an
individual,
Defendants.
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COMPLAINT
Plaintiff, Pacific Fence and Wire Company (“Plaintiff” or “Pacific”), for its Complaint
against M&M Pacific NW Contracting LLC (“M&M”), Mike Wormington (“Wormington”), and
Melissa K. Garris “Garris”) (referred to collectively herein as “Defendants”) alleges, based on
actual knowledge with respect to Plaintiff’s acts, and based on information and belief with respect
to all other matters, as follows:
INTRODUCTION
1. Pacific brings this action because Defendants are willfully infringing Pacific’s famous
PACIFIC trademark for fences, fencing material, and fencing services by using PACIFIC NW
FENCE & DECK to advertise and provide fencing services and by using the domain name
[Link].
THE PARTIES
2. Plaintiff Pacific Fence and Wire Company is an Oregon corporation having its principal
place of business at 13770 SE Ambler Road, Clackamas, Oregon 97015.
3. Defendant M&M is an Oregon limited liability company, having its principal place of
business at 3329 B Street, Forest Grove, Oregon 97116 and having a mailing address at PO Box
933 Forest Grove, Oregon 97116.
4. Defendant Garris is an owner, operator, and/or manager of Defendant M&M and/or is
personally responsible for the infringing acts alleged herein, and resides at 1555 South Alpine St.,
Cornelius, Oregon 97113.
5. Defendant Wormington is an owner, operator, and/or manager of Defendant M&M and/or
is personally responsible for the infringing acts alleged herein, and resides at 1555 South Alpine
St., Cornelius, Oregon 97113.
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JURISDICTION AND VENUE
6. The Court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1338 because
these are federal causes of action arising under the trademark laws of the United States, including
the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1051, et seq.
7. The Court has personal jurisdiction over Defendants because Defendant M&M has its
principal place of business within this district and Defendants Garris and Wormington reside in
and conduct business within this district, and Defendants have committed the tortious activities of
trademark infringement within this district. In addition, Defendants have advertised and continue
to advertise products to consumers within this judicial district in a manner that infringes Pacific’s
trademark rights. More generally, Pacific has suffered a substantial part of the harm from
Defendants’ infringing activities in this district.
8. Venue is proper in this Court under at least 28 U.S.C. § 1391(c) because Defendants reside
in this district and a substantial part of the events giving rise to Pacific’s claims occurred in this
district, causing damage to Pacific in this district. Defendants’ actions within this district directly
interfere with and damage Pacific’s commercial business, harm Pacific’s goodwill, and tarnish
Pacific’s trademark within this district.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
9. Plaintiff Pacific Fence & Wire Company has established extensive rights in its PACIFIC
trademark for fences, fencing materials, and fencing services over nearly a century of continuous
use beginning at least as early as 1921.
10. Pacific Fence & Wire is the owner of U.S. Trademark Reg. No. 2,655,643 for PACIFIC.
Exhibit A. The certificate notes Pacific Fence & Wire’s ownership of U.S. Trademark Reg. No.
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1,243,399, which was also for PACIFIC for fences and fencing material and which was filed in
1981.
11. Pacific Fence’s rights in the PACIFIC mark are longstanding and well-established, both as
a common law mark and as a federally registered trademark, to such extent that this is a famous
mark entitled to additional protection under U.S. trademark law.
12. Defendants are currently advertising and providing fencing services under PACIFIC NW
FENCE & DECK. Exhibits B,1 C,2 and D.3
13. Defendants have operated the website noted in the preceding paragraph and depicted in
Exhibit B off and on since about 2016.
14. Pacific demanded in 2016 that Defendants stop all use of PACIFIC NW FENCE & DECK
and any other use likely to cause confusion or to dilute the PACIFIC mark for fences and fencing
materials.
15. Defendants subsequently had their representative contact Pacific’s counsel in November
2016 and agreed to stop use of PACIFIC NW FENCE & DECK and [Link].
16. In or about 2017-18, Defendants temporarily stopped use of PACIFIC NW FENCE &
DECK, in particular at [Link]. As of June 14, 2018, the website advertising
PACIFIC NW FENCE & DECK at [Link] was not active. Exhibit E.4
17. However, Defendants have subsequently revived the website advertising PACIFIC NW
FENCE & DECK at [Link] and are currently advertising there. Exhibit B.
1
Printout on June 22, 2018 of website at [Link]
2
Printout on June 22, 2018 of Facebook page at
[Link]
3
Printout on June 22, 2018 of Twitter page at [Link]
4
Printout as of June 14, 2018 of [Link]
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18. The telephone number posted at [Link] currently provides an
outgoing message advertising PACIFIC NW FENCE & DECK services.
19. Despite Defendants’ appearing to provide fencing services, the contractor license from the
state of Oregon for M&M is expired (Exhibit F) and neither Wormington nor Garris has a current
contractor license, and also M&M is past due to file the annual renewal with the Oregon Secretary
of State’s corporate division for M&M Pacific NW Contracting LLC (Exhibit G).
COUNT I – FEDERAL TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT UNDER 15 USC § 1114
20. Pacific incorporates by reference all preceding paragraphs.
21. This count for trademark infringement of Pacific’s federally registered trademark arises
under the Lanham Trademark Act of July 5, 1946, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1051 et seq. and particularly
§ 1114 thereof.
22. Pacific owns its PACIFIC trademark for fences and parts thereof – namely, chain link
fences, barbed wire fences, slat fences and gates, all made primarily of metal, and that trademark
is valid and enforceable against Defendants.
23. Pacific has continuously used its PACIFIC trademark since as early as 1921. The PACIFIC
trademark is an arbitrary and distinctive mark that consumers associate with Pacific’s sale of fence
products.
24. Over the near-century of Pacific’s use of its PACIFIC trademark, PACIFIC-branded
products and services have earned a reputation for consistent high quality, and through its long,
uninterrupted use, PACIFIC has become a famous mark in the fencing industry.
25. Pacific has spent substantial time, money and effort in developing consumer recognition
and awareness of its PACIFIC-trademarked products, and has invested significantly in advertising
in order to inform its customers and potential customers of the benefits of its products.
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26. Defendants’ use of PACIFIC NW FENCE & DECK and [Link] in
connection with the marketing and sale of fencing services, starting long after Pacific’s
establishing its trademark rights, has created, and is likely to continue to create, consumer
confusion, brand and reputational harm to Pacific among customers, potential customers, and
others in the fencing industry who are mistaken as to the origin of each party’s goods/services, or
who mistakenly believe Pacific and Defendant are commonly owned, operated or otherwise
affiliated, connected or associated.
27. This infringement has caused, and continue to cause, irreparable harm to Plaintiff’s brand
and reputation, for which there is no adequate remedy at law.
COUNT II – FEDERAL UNFAIR COMPETITION, FALSE DESIGNATION OF
ORIGIN, AND DILUTION UNDER 15 USC § 1125
28. Pacific incorporates by reference all preceding paragraphs.
29. This count for unfair competition, false designation of origin, and trademark dilution arises
under the Lanham Trademark Act of July 5, 1946, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1051 et seq. and particularly
§§ 1125(a) and (c) thereof.
30. Pacific owns its PACIFIC trademark for fences and parts thereof, and also fencing services,
specifically the installation of fences of all types and configuration, including gates, and that
trademark is valid and enforceable against Defendants.
31. Pacific has used its PACIFIC trademark in the fencing industry since as early as 1921. The
PACIFIC trademark is an arbitrary and distinctive mark that is associated with Pacific’s sale of
fence products and fencing services.
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32. Over the near-century of Pacific’s use of its PACIFIC trademark, PACIFIC-branded
products and services have earned a reputation for consistent high quality, and through its long,
continuous use for nearly a century, PACIFIC has become a famous mark in the fencing industry.
33. Pacific has spent substantial time, money and effort in developing consumer recognition
and awareness of its trademarked products and services, and has invested significantly in
advertising in order to inform its customers and potential customers of the benefits of its products
and services.
34. Defendants’ use of PACIFIC NW FENCE & DECK and [Link] in
connection with the marketing and sale of fencing services, starting long after Pacific’s securing
its trademark rights, has created, and is likely to continue to create, consumer confusion, brand and
reputational harm to Pacific, and dilution of the famous PACIFIC trademark among customers,
potential customers, and others in the fencing industry who are mistaken as to the origin of each
party’s goods/services, or who mistakenly believe Pacific and Defendant are commonly owned,
operated or otherwise affiliated, connected or associated. Members of the public have been, and
are likely to continue being, confused as to the origin, sponsorship, authorization and/or approval
by Pacific of Defendants’ company and services.
35. This unfair competition, false designation of origin, and dilution have caused, and continue
to cause, irreparable harm to Pacific’s brand and reputation, for which there is no adequate remedy
at law.
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WHEREFORE, Plaintiff prays for judgment as follows:
A. Defendants be found to have committed trademark infringement, unfair
competition, false designation of origin, and trademark dilution;
B. For an award of Defendant’s profits and Plaintiff’s damages in an amount to be
proven at trial for trademark infringement under 15 U.S.C. §1114;
C. For an award of Defendant’s profits and Plaintiff’s damages in an amount to be
proven at trial for unfair competition, false designation of origin, and dilution under 15 U.S.C. §
1125.
D. For temporary, preliminary and permanent injunctive relief from this Court
prohibiting Defendant from engaging or continuing to engage in the infringement and other
unlawful or unfair business acts or practices described herein, including the unauthorized use of
any trademark right of Plaintiff; acts of trademark infringement; false designation of origin; unfair
competition; dilution; and any other act in derogation of Plaintiff’s rights;
E. For the domain registration for [Link] to be transferred to
Plaintiff;
F. For the Defendants’ use of “Pacific NW Fence & Deck” and colorably similar
marks to be enjoined, including orders to website hosts and social media website provides,
including those identified in Exhibits B-D herein, including deletion of the website depicted in
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Exhibit B, deletion of the Facebook account depicted in Exhibit C, and deletion of the Twitter
account depicted at Exhibit D;
G. For Plaintiff’s reasonable attorney fees;
H. For all costs of suit; and
I. For such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and equitable.
JURY DEMAND
Pacific Fence and Wire Company demands a trial by jury on all issues properly tried before
a jury.
DATED June 25, 2018.
Respectfully submitted,
KOLISCH HARTWELL, P.C.
By s/ Owen W. Dukelow
Owen W. Dukelow, OSB No. 965318
E-mail: owen@[Link]
520 S.W. Yamhill Street, Suite 200
Portland, Oregon 97204
Telephone: (503) 224-6655
Facsimile: (503) 972-9115
Of Attorneys for Plaintiff
Pacific Fence and Wire Company
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