Melbourne Bone and Joint Clinic Pty Ltd v Registrar of Trade Marks [2024] FCA 53

Federal Court of Australia

Melbourne Bone and Joint Clinic Pty Ltd v Registrar of Trade Marks [2024] FCA 53 Appeal from: Re Melbourne Bone and Joint Clinic Pty Ltd [2021] ATMO 121; 169 IPR 304

File number: VID 649 of 2021

Judgment of: MOSHINSKY J

Date of judgment: 7 February 2024

Catchwords: TRADE MARKS – appeal from decision of the Registrar of Trade Marks – where a delegate of the Registrar decided to reject an application to register as a trade mark MELBOURNE BONE AND JOINT CLINIC – hearing de novo – whether the mark was to any extent inherently adapted to distinguish – whether the applicant used the trade mark before the filing date of the application to such an extent that it did in fact distinguish

Legislation: Evidence Act 1995 (Cth), s 136 Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act 2012 (Cth) Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth), ss 26, 33, 35, 41

Cases cited: Apple Inc v Registrar of Trade Marks [2014] FCA 1304; 227 FCR 511 Cantarella Bros Pty Ltd v Modena Trading Pty Ltd [2014] HCA 48; 254 CLR 337 Chocolaterie Guylian NV v Registrar of Trade Marks [2009] FCA 891; 180 FCR 60 Clark Equipment Co v Registrar of Trade Marks [1964] HCA 55; 111 CLR 511 Eastman Photographic Materials Co Ltd v Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (Solio Case) [1898] AC 571 Goodman Fielder Pte Ltd v Conga Foods Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 1808; 158 IPR 9 Howard Auto-Cultivators Ltd v Webb Industries Pty Ltd (1946) 72 CLR 175 Mark Foy's Ltd v Davies Co-operative & Co Ltd [1956] HCA 41; 95 CLR 190 Philip Morris Products SA v British American Tobacco (Brands) Limited [2013] ATMO 22 (24 April 2013) (Click & Roll) Procter & Gamble v OHIM, ECJ Case No. C-383/99 (5 April 2001) (BABY-DRY) Registrar of Trade Marks v W&G Du Cros Ltd [1913] AC 624 Registrar of Trade Marks v Woolworths Ltd [1999] FCAFC 1020; 93 FCR 365 Sports Warehouse Inc v Fry Consulting Pty Ltd [2010] FCA 664; 186 FCR 519