Dick Smith Investments Pty Ltd v Ramsey [2016] FCA 939

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Dick Smith Investments Pty Ltd v Ramsey [2016] FCA 939 File number: NSD 272 of 2014

Judge: KATZMANN J

Date of judgment: 12 August 2016

Catchwords: TRADE MARKS — Appeal from decision of a delegate of the Registrar of Trade Marks to remove trade mark from the Register for non-use — whether use of trade mark in the non-use period when there was no sale of the goods in respect of which the trade mark was registered — whether there was an obstacle to the use of the trade mark in the non-use period within s 100(3)(c) of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) — whether reasonable to order that the trade mark not be removed pursuant to s 101(3) of the Act

Legislation: Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) ss 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 17, 44(3)(b), 92(4)(b), 100(1)(c), 100(3)(c), 101(3) Trade Marks Act 1955 (Cth)

Cases cited: Aristoc Ltd v Rysta Ltd [1945] AC 68 Austin Nichols & Co Inc v Lodestar Anstalt (2011) 202 FCR 462 Austin Nichols & Co Inc v Lodestar Anstalt (No 1) (2012) 202 FCR 490 Buying Systems (Australia) Pty Ltd v Studio SRL (1995) 30 IPR 517; [1995] AIPC 91–119 Coca-Cola Co v All-Fect Distributors Ltd (1999) 96 FCR 107 Conquip Holdings Pty Ltd v S & A Restaurant Corporation [2000] AIPC 91–547; [2000] FCA 256 Continental Liqueurs Pty Ltd v GF Heublein and Bro. Inc. (1960) 103 CLR 422 Dick Smith Investments Pty Ltd v Roger Ramsey (2006) 70 IPR 428; [2006] ATMO 82 Dick Smith Investments Pty Ltd v Ramsey (2014) 105 IPR 452; [2014] ATMO 16 E & J Gallo Winery v Lion Nathan Australia Pty Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 144 E & J Gallo Winery v Lion Nathan Australia Pty Ltd (2008) 77 IPR 69; [2008] FCA 934 Estex Clothing Manufacturers Pty Limited v Ellis and Goldstein Limited (1967) 116 CLR 254 Food Channel Network Pty Ltd v Television Food Network, GP [2009] FCA 68 Hermes Trade Mark [1982] RPC 425 Jackson & Co v Napper (1886) 35 Ch D 162 Kowa Company Ltd v NV Organon (2005) 66 IPR 131; [2005] FCA 1282 Liquideng Farm Supplies Pty Ltd v Liquid Engineering 2003 Pty Ltd (2009) 175 FCR 26 Lomas v Winton Shire Council [2002] FCAFC 413 McAndrew v Bassett (1864) 4 DJ&S 380 McCormick & Company Inc v McCormick (2000) 51 IPR 102; [2000] FCA 1335 Moorgate Tobacco Co Limited v Philip Morris Ltd (No 2) (1984) 156 CLR 414 New South Wales Dairy Corporation v Murray Goulburn Co-Operative Company Ltd (1989) 86 ALR 549; 14 IPR 26 Pioneer Computers Australia Pty Ltd v Pioneer KK (2009) 176 FCR 300 Pioneer Kabushiki Kaisha v Registrar of Trade Marks (1977) 137 CLR 670 QH Tours Ltd v Mark Travel Corporation (1999) 45 IPR 553 Re Nodoz Trade Mark [1962] RPC 1 Ritz Hotel Ltd v Charles of the Ritz Ltd (1988) 15 NSWLR 158 Tivo Inc v Vivo International Corp Pty Ltd [2012] FCA 252 UCP Gen Pharma AG v Mesoblast Inc (2012) 95 IPR 562; [2012] FCA 210 Unilever Australia Ltd v Karounos (2001) 113 FCR 322 Winton Shire Council v Lomas (2002) 119 FCR 416 Woolly Bull Enterprises Pty Ltd v Reynolds (2001) 107 FCR 166 Davison M J and Horak I, Shanahan's Australian Law of Trade Marks and Passing Off (5th ed, Thomson Reuters (Professional) Australia Limited, 2012) Lahore J W, Patents, Trade Marks & Related Rights (LexisNexis Butterworths, 2006) The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1993)