Cubano Del Tabaco Prevails Against General Cigar Company In Cohiba Trademark Registration Dispute

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Excerpt: "Before the Court for disposition on the written record is an action under 15 U.S.C. § 1071 brought by General Cigar Company (“plaintiff’ or “General Cigar”) seeking to reverse the decision of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) and vacate the TTAB’s cancellation order of General Cigar’s typeset and stylized Cohiba marks that had been registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”).  Defendant Empresa Cubano del Tabaco d/b/a Cubatabaco (“defendant” or “Cubatabaco”) seeks a dismissal of this civil action and an entry ofjudgment in its favor.^ Because the Court finds that Cubatabaco has established that the TTAB’s cancellation of General Cigar’s registrations was proper under Article 8 of the Inter American Convention (“lAC”) and that the Cuban Assets Control Regulations do not prohibit such cancellation.  General Cigar’s requested relief will be denied and its Amended Complaint will be dismissed with prejudice." 

LINK TO COMPLETE OPINION IN PDF FORMAT

05/07/2025-Corrected MEMORANDUM OPINION in re Dismissal of Amended Complaint. Signed by District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema on 5/7/2025. (dvanm)

05/07/2025- CLERK'S JUDGMENT is hereby entered in accordance with Rule 58 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in favor of the Defendant, Empresa Cubana del Tabaco, d/b/a Cubatabaco and against the Plaintiff, General Cigar Company. Signed by Clerk on 5/7/2025. (dvanm)

05/07/2025-ORDERED that General Cigar Company's Amended Complaint [Dkt. No. 27] be and is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE; and it is further ORDERED that the December 20,2022 final decision of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board be and is AFFIRMED. The Clerk is directed to forward copies of this Order and the accompanying Memorandum Opinion to counsel of record, enter judgment in defendant's favor pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 58, and close this civil action. Signed by District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema on 5/7/2025. (dvanm)

05/07/2025-MEMORANDUM OPINION in re Dismissal of Amended Complaint. Signed by District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema on 5/7/2025. (dvanm)

02/20/2023- Complaint ( Filing fee $ 402, receipt number AVAEDC-8810416.), filed by General Cigar Company, Inc.. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Civil Cover Sheet)(Fee, James)

General Cigar Company, Inc. v. Empresa Cubana del Tabaco

Assigned to: District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema
Referred to: Magistrate Judge William E. Fitzpatrick
Cause: 15:1071 Appeal of Decision of U.S. Patent & Trademark Office    
Date Filed: 02/20/2023
Date Terminated: 05/07/2025
Jury Demand: Plaintiff
Nature of Suit: 840 Trademark
Jurisdiction: Federal Question

Plaintiff: General Cigar Company, Inc.
Represented by Andrew L. Deutsch
Law Offices of Andrew L. Deutsch
540 Olympic Place
Los Angeles, CA 90035
917-861-3315
Email: adeutsch221@gmail.com
PRO HAC VICE
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED

Benjamin Sorrells Boyd
DLA Piper US LLP (DC)
500 Eighth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004
202-799-4000
Fax: 202-799-5000
Email: benjamin.boyd@us.dlapiper.com
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED

Jane Washington Wise
DLA Piper (US) (DC/NA)
500 8th St. NW
Washington, DC 20004
**NA**
202-799-4000
Fax: 202-863-7849
Email: jane.wise@dlapiper.com
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ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED

Joshua Schwartzman
DLA Piper US LLP (NY-NA)
1251 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020-1104
**NA**
212-335-4500
Email: joshua.schwartzman@us.dlapiper.com
PRO HAC VICE
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED

Oscar M. Orozco-Botello
DLA Piper (US) (Los Angeles)
2000 Avenue of the Stars
Suite 400 North Tower
Los Angeles, CA 90067-4735
**NA**
310-595-3000
Fax: 310-595-3377
Email: oscar.orozco-botello@us.dlapiper.com
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ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED

Stanley J. Panikowski , III
DLA Piper LLP (US) (San Diego-NA)
4365 Executive Drive
Suite 1100
San Diego, CA 92121-2133
**NA**
858-677-1400
Fax: 619-764-6643
Email: stanley.panikowski@us.dlapiper.com
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James Kevin Fee
DLA Piper LLP (US)
500 Eighth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004
202-799-4441
Fax: 202-799-5441
Email: kevin.fee@us.dlapiper.com
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED
        
Defendant: Empresa Cubana del Tabaco doing business as Cubatabaco
Represented by Benjamin Lucas Hatch
McGuireWoods LLP (Norfolk)
101 W Main St
Suite 9000
Norfolk, VA 23510-1655
757-640-3947
Email: bhatch@mcguirewoods.com
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED

John Peter Marston
Sheppard Mullin
2099 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20006
202-747-3317
Email: jmarston@sheppardmullin.com
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED

Lindsey Frank
Rabinowitz, Boudin, Standard, Krinsky & Liberman, P.C.
320 West 85th St
New York, NY 10024
**NA**
212-254-1111
Fax: 212-674-4614
Email: lfrank@rbskl.com
PRO HAC VICE
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED

Lucy Jewett Wheatley
McGuireWoods LLP
Gateway Plaza
800 East Canal St
Richmond, VA 23219
804-775-4320
Email: lwheatley@mcguirewoods.com
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED

Michael Krinsky
Rabinowitz, Boudin, Standard, Krinsky & Liberman, P.C.
320 West 85th St
New York, NY 10024
**NA**
212-254-1111
Fax: 212-674-4614
Email: mkrinsky@rbskl.com
PRO HAC VICE
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED

Natasha N. Reed
Foley Hoag LLP (NY-NA)
1301 Avenue of the Americas
25th Floor
New York, NY 10019
**NA**
212-812-0400
Fax: 212-812-0399
Email: nreed@foleyhoag.com
PRO HAC VICE
ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED

Nicole Kinsley
Foley Hoag LLP (MA-NA)
155 Seaport Blvd
Boston, MA 02210
**NA**
617-832-1000
Fax: 617-832-7000
Email: nkinsley@foleyhoag.com
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ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED