Chart of Assignments
Trademarks, Fall 2026
Eric E. Johnson, OU Law

Assignments updated as of: September 30, 2026.

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HELPFUL NOTES:

  • The entire Volume A of readings is now available, for your convenience, in PDF format and in DOCX format.

  • Much of the course's future reading, not yet tied to specific dates, can now be seen in the Topic by Topic section, below.

    • Day by Day:
    Week No 1
    TUESDAY August 25 No 1
    0. About the Course
    No reading required for this for today.
    1. Orientation to Trademark Law and Its Context
    Read Unit 1 (pp. 1-13) in Reading Packet A1 [pdf].
    Read Nanotreatise on Copyright Law in the United States.
    Read Nanotreatise on Patent Law in the United States.
    Read Nanotreatise on Right of Publicity Law in the United States.
    WEDNESDAY August 26 No 2
    2. Trademark’s Fundamental Concepts
    Read Unit 2 (pp. 15-29) in Reading Packet A1 [pdf].
    • The Trade-Mark Cases (U.S. 1879)
    • Champion Spark Plug v. Sanders (used spark plugs) (U.S. 1947)
    • Kellogg v. Nabisco ("shredded wheat" for shredded wheat) (U.S. 1938)
    Week No 2
    TUESDAY September 1 No 3
    2. Trademark’s Fundamental Concepts, continued
    We'll finish our discussion of last class's reading, including Kellogg v. Nabisco.
    3. Registration and the Trademark Office
    Read Unit 3A, which is Reading Packet A2 [pdf].
    Read Unit 3B §3.3 & 3.4, i.e. pp. 51-57 in Reading Packet A3 [pdf].
    WEDNESDAY September 2 No 4
    0. About the Course, continued
    Please read the syllabus, if you haven't yet.
    3. Registration and the Trademark Office, continued
    Read Unit 3B §3.5, i.e. pp. 58-70 in Reading Packet A3 [pdf].
    • In re Jason Jimenez (Gasper vs. Jasper) (TTAB 2025)
    4. Failure to Function
    Read Unit 4, i.e. pp. 71-87 in Reading Packet A3 [pdf].
    • In re Erik Brunetti (“fuck” failure to function) (Fed Cir. 2025)
    Week No 3
    TUESDAY September 8 No 5
    4. Failure to Function, continued
    We'll finish our discussion of last class's reading.
    5. Distinctiveness
    Read Unit 5, available as an isolated PDF, or within Volume A PDF and DOCX.)
    • Zatarains v. Oak Grove Smokehouse (Fish-Fri, Chick-Fri) (5th Cir. 1983)
    WEDNESDAY September 9 No 6
    6. Secondary Meaning; Acquired Distinctiveness
    Read Unit 6, available as an isolated PDF, or within Volume A PDF and DOCX.)
    • In re Walsh (Performance Nutrition) (TTAB 2016)
    Week No 4
    TUESDAY September 15 No 7
    7. Genericness
    Read Unit 7 in Volume A [pdf].
    • Filipino Yellow Pages v. Asian Journal Publications (Filipino Yellow Pages) (9th Cir. 1999)
    • USPTO v. Booking.com (booking.com) (U.S. 2020)
    • Elliott v. Google (google/googling) (9th Cir. 2017)
    WEDNESDAY September 16 No 8
    8. Establishing Rights Through Use
    Read Unit 8 in Volume A [pdf].
    • FN Herstal v. Clyde Armory (SCAR) (11th Cir. 2016)
    • Hana Financial, Inc. v. Hana Bank (Hana, tacking) (U.S. 2015)
    • Illinois High School Ass’n v. GTE Vantage (March Madness) (7th Cir. 1996)
    Week No 5
    TUESDAY September 22 No 9
    9. Ownership and Priority
    Read Unit 9 in Volume A [pdf].
    • Burger King v. Hoots (Burger King) (7th Cir. 1968)
    • Bell v. Streetwise Records (New Edition) (D. Mass. 1986)
    WEDNESDAY September 23 No 10
    10. Deceptiveness, Geography, Names, and Offensive Word Marks
    Read Unit 10 in Volume A [pdf].
    • In re Budge (Lovee Lamb) (Fed. Cir. 1988)
    • Iancu v. Brunetti (FUCT) (U.S. 2019)
    • Vidal v. Elster (U.S. 2024)
    Week No 6
    TUESDAY September 29 No 11
    11. Trademark Transactions, Goodwill, Licensee Estoppel, and Abandonment
    Read Unit 11 in Volume A [pdf].
    • FreecycleSunnyvale v. Freecycle Network (Freecycle) (9th Cir. 2010)
    • Westco v. K.B. (Mattress Warehouse) (N.D. Ohio 2001)
    WEDNESDAY September 30 No 12
    11. Trademark Transactions, Goodwill, Licensee Estoppel, and Abandonment, continued
    Re-review the Freecycle case
    Week No 7
    TUESDAY October 6 No 13
    12. Likelihood of Confusion for Word Marks
    Read Unit 12 in Volume A [pdf].
    • Virgin v. Nawab ("Virgin" for cell phones) (2d Cir. 2003)
    Re-review Part II of In re Jason Jimenez case in Unit 3B §3.5 in Volume A [pdf] (or in Packet A3 [pdf]).
    • In re Jason Jimenez (Gasper vs. Jasper) (TTAB 2025)
    WEDNESDAY October 7 No 14
    13. Requirement of Defendant’s Use-in-Commerce for Trademark Infringement
    Read Unit 13 in Volume A [pdf].
    • Radiance v. NAACP (4th Cir. 2015)



    Topic by Topic:
    Reading materials:
    Unit 1 through Unit 13 are in Volume A, available in PDF format and DOCX format.

    0. About the Course
    Please read the syllabus.
    1. Orientation to Trademark Law and Its Context
    Read Unit 1.
    Read Nanotreatise on Copyright Law in the United States.
    Read Nanotreatise on Patent Law in the United States.
    Read Nanotreatise on Right of Publicity Law in the United States.
    2. Trademark’s Fundamental Concepts
    Read Unit 2.
    • The Trade-Mark Cases (U.S. 1879)
    • Champion Spark Plug v. Sanders (used spark plugs) (U.S. 1947)
    • Kellogg v. Nabisco ("shredded wheat" for shredded wheat) (U.S. 1938)
    3. Registration and the Trademark Office
    Read Unit 3A and Unit 3B.
    • In re Jason Jimenez (Gasper vs. Jasper) (TTAB 2025)
    4. Failure to Function
    Read Unit 4.
    • In re Erik Brunetti (“fuck” failure to function) (Fed Cir. 2025)
    5. Distinctiveness
    Read Unit 5, available as an isolated PDF, or within Volume A PDF and DOCX.)
    • Zatarains v. Oak Grove Smokehouse (Fish-Fri, Chick-Fri) (5th Cir. 1983)
    6. Secondary Meaning; Acquired Distinctiveness
    Read Unit 6 [pdf].
    • In re Walsh (Performance Nutrition) (TTAB 2016)
    7. Genericness
    Read Unit 7 in Volume A [pdf].
    • Filipino Yellow Pages v. Asian Journal Publications (Filipino Yellow Pages) (9th Cir. 1999)
    • USPTO v. Booking.com (booking.com) (U.S. 2020)
    • Elliott v. Google (google/googling) (9th Cir. 2017)
    8. Establishing Rights Through Use
    Read Unit 8 in Volume A [pdf].
    • FN Herstal v. Clyde Armory (SCAR) (11th Cir. 2016)
    • Hana Financial, Inc. v. Hana Bank (Hana, tacking) (U.S. 2015)
    • Illinois High School Ass’n v. GTE Vantage (March Madness) (7th Cir. 1996)
    9. Ownership and Priority
    Read Unit 9 in Volume A [pdf].
    • Burger King v. Hoots (Burger King) (7th Cir. 1968)
    • Bell v. Streetwise Records (New Edition) (D. Mass. 1986)
    10. Deceptiveness, Geography, Names, and Offensive Word Marks
    Read Unit 10 in Volume A [pdf].
    • In re Budge (Lovee Lamb) (Fed. Cir. 1988)
    • Iancu v. Brunetti (FUCT) (U.S. 2019)
    • Vidal v. Elster (U.S. 2024)
    11. Trademark Transactions, Goodwill, Licensee Estoppel, and Abandonment
    Read Unit 11 in Volume A [pdf].
    • FreecycleSunnyvale v. Freecycle Network (Freecycle) (9th Cir. 2010)
    • Westco v. K.B. (Mattress Warehouse) (N.D. Ohio 2001)
    12. Likelihood of Confusion for Word Marks
    Read Unit 12 in Volume A [pdf].
    • Virgin v. Nawab ("Virgin" for cell phones) (2d Cir. 2003)
    Re-review Part II of In re Jason Jimenez case in Unit 3B §3.5 in Volume A [pdf] (or in Packet A3 [pdf]).
    • In re Jason Jimenez (Gasper vs. Jasper) (TTAB 2025)
    13. Requirement of Defendant’s Use-in-Commerce for Trademark Infringement
    Read Unit 13 in Volume A [pdf].
    • Radiance v. NAACP (4th Cir. 2015)




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