Mont. Code § 30-13-301

Current through the 2023 Regular Session

Section 30-13-301 - Definitions

In this part, unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply:

(1) "Abandoned" with respect to a mark, means the occurrence of either of the following:

(a) when a mark's use has been discontinued with intent not to resume use. Intent not to resume may be inferred from circumstances. Nonuse for 2 consecutive years constitutes prima facie evidence of abandonment.

(b) when any course of conduct of the owner, including acts of omission as well as commission, causes the mark to lose its significance as a mark.

(2) "Applicant" means the person filing an application for registration of a mark under this part or the person's legal representatives, successors, or assigns.

(3) "Counterfeit mark" means a spurious mark:

(a) that is applied to or used in connection with any goods, services, labels, patches, fabric, stickers, wrappers, badges, emblems, medallions, charms, boxes, containers, cans, cases, hangtags, documentation, packaging, or any other components of any type or nature that are designed, marketed, or otherwise intended to be used on or in connection with any goods or services;

(b) that is identical with or substantially indistinguishable from a mark that is in use and is registered in this state or any other state or on the principal register in the United States patent and trademark office, whether or not the person employing the mark knew the mark was registered; and

(c) the application or use of which is:

(i) likely to deceive or cause confusion or mistake; or

(ii) otherwise intended to be used on or in connection with the goods or services for which a registered mark is registered.

(4) "Counterfeiter" means a person employing a counterfeit mark.

(5) "Dilution" means the lessening of the capacity of a famous mark to identify and distinguish goods or services, regardless of the presence or absence of:

(a) competition between the owner of the famous mark and other parties; or

(b) likelihood of confusion, mistake, or deception.

(6) "Mark" means any trademark or service mark entitled to registration under this part whether registered or not.

(7) "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, association, union, or other organization capable of suing and being sued in a court of law.

(8) "Registrant" means the person to whom the registration of a mark under this part is issued or the person's legal representatives, successors, or assigns.

(9) "Retail value" means:

(a) the counterfeiter's regular selling price for goods or services unless the goods or services bearing a counterfeit mark or the items and components described in subsection (9)(b) would appear to a reasonably prudent person to be authentic, in which case the retail value is the price of the authentic counterpart; or

(b) in the case of items bearing a counterfeit mark that are components of a finished product and in the case of labels, patches, fabric, stickers, wrappers, badges, emblems, medallions, charms, boxes, containers, cans, cases, hangtags, documentation, packaging, or any other components of any type or nature that are designed, marketed, or otherwise intended to be used on or in connection with any goods or services, the counterfeiter's regular selling price of the finished product on or in which the items or component would be utilized.

(10) "Service mark" means any word, name, symbol, or device or any combination of words, names, symbols, or devices used by a person to identify and distinguish the services of one person, including a unique service, from the services of others and to indicate the source of the services, even if that source is unknown. Titles, character names used by a person, and other distinctive features of radio or television programs may be registered as service marks notwithstanding that they or the programs may advertise the goods of the sponsor.

(11) "Trade name" means any name used by a person to identify a business or vocation of that person.

(12) "Trademark" means any word, name, symbol, device, or any combination of words, names, symbols, or devices used by a person to identify and distinguish the goods of that person, including a unique product, from those manufactured or sold by others and to indicate the source of the goods, even if that source is unknown.

(13) "Use" means the bona fide use of a mark in the ordinary course of trade and not a use merely to reserve a right in a mark. For the purposes of this part, a mark is considered to be in use:

(a) on goods when:

(i) it is placed in any manner on the goods or other containers or the displays associated with the goods or on the tags or labels affixed to the goods; or

(ii) if the nature of the goods makes placement on the goods or containers impracticable, it is placed on documents associated with the goods or their sale; and

(iii) the goods are sold or transported in commerce in this state; and

(b) on services when it is used or displayed in the sale or advertising of services and the services are rendered in this state.

§ 30-13-301, MCA

En. Sec. 1, Ch. 429, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 81, Ch. 120, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 257, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 177, L. 2009.