Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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JOHN FOGERTY
Plaintiff,
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vs.
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Defendants.
AND RELATED ACTIONS
Plaintiffs Poor Boy Productions, Inc. ("Poor Boy"), Creedence Clearwater
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and through their undersigned attorneys Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber and Schreck,
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2:15-cv-06069-FMO (FFMx)
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1.
This action arises under the Acts of Congress relating to the Lanham
Act, Title 15 U.S.C. 1051, et seq., and the common law. This is also an action
for declaratory relief, breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good
faith and fair dealing, and breach of fiduciary duty under California law.
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2.
1331 and 1338 because this action involves federal questions of law. This Court
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has supplemental jurisdiction over the claims brought under the common law
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3.
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Judge for the District of Nevada, venue is proper in this judicial district pursuant
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to 28 U.S.C. 1391(b)(1).
PARTIES
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District.
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2:15-cv-06069-FMO (FFMx)
FACTS
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originally comprised of Douglas Clifford, Stuart Cook, Tom Fogerty and John
Fogerty. Tom Fogerty passed away in 1990, and his interest in CCR's property,
including intellectual property and royalties, passed to his wife, Ms. Fogerty.
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Reg."), issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") on
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Class 41. A copy of the '931 Reg. is attached hereto as Exhibit A. CCR also owns
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all common law rights related to the Creedence Clearwater Revival Mark and its
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of John Fogerty, Doug Clifford, Stu Cook and Tom Fogerty is the owner of" the
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CCR Mark;
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b.
Tom Fogerty passed away and Ms. Fogerty is his sole heir;
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c.
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Assignment to substitute Tricia Fogerty in the place and stead of the deceased Tom
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Fogerty in said partnership for the sole purpose of establishing her ownership
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interest in and to said service mark and the registration thereon, and for no other
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purpose"; and
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d.
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the registration thereon, together with the goodwill of the business with which said
SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT
055523\0002\14003155.2
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2:15-cv-06069-FMO (FFMx)
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behalf of CCR, for a term of ten years with an option to extend the term for an
additional ten years, with Poor Boy. Among other things, the License granted Poor
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Shortly after the License was executed, Clifford and Cook, through
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District Court Central District of California Western Division against Poor Boy,
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Cook, Clifford and Ms. Fogerty styled Fogerty v. Poor Boy Productions, Inc., et
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al., Case No. CV 96-4634 RMT (RNBx) alleging, among other things, that Fogerty
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was synonymous with the CCR Mark and that there was therefore infringement
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CLEARWATER REVISITED.
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Defendants in that action from performing under the REVISITED Mark. The
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Fogerty v. Poor Boy Productions, Inc., et al., 124 F.3d 211 (9th Cir. 1997), finding
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that there was no evidence that the American public believed that Fogerty was
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further found that the record does not support Fogertys efforts to deny that a
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partnership owned the mark or that it makes decisions regarding the mark by
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majority vote.
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injunction order, through counsel, the parties entered into a settlement agreement
hereto as Exhibit C. Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the parties agreed that
Fogerty would withdraw his objection to Clifford's and Cook's performing under
the REVISITED Mark. Id. The parties also agreed that Clifford, Cook and Ms.
Fogerty would not authorize any other persons or entities to perform under the
names without the prior written permission of Fogerty. Id. The parties also agreed
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At the time Plaintiffs entered into the License and at the time they
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entered into the Settlement Agreement, and through the present date, Fogerty was
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and is a copartner in CCR for at least purposes of ownership of the CCR Mark and
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the 931 Reg., and Plaintiffs reasonably believed that he was and is a copartner in
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the CCR partnership. Fogerty stated in the Assignment that a partnership existed
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and that he was a copartner in the partnership, and has acted as a copartner in
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matters concerning ownership of the CCR Mark and 931 Reg. since at least 1992.
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These actions include, but are not limited to, licensing the CCR Mark as a
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copartner and ceasing infringing use of the CCR Mark and 931 Reg. on several
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occasions since the execution of the Settlement Agreement because the CCR
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conduct that he was a copartner in the CCR partnership from at least the time of
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partnership for at least purposes of CCR's ownership of the CCR Mark and the 931
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Reg. and a partnership further exists through the parties long-time and undisputed
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course of conduct.
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goodwill associated with the CCR Mark and 931 Reg. through the present date,
Fogerty is estopped from challenging the validity of the CCR Mark and 931 Reg.
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in connection with live musical performances since at least 1995, except for the
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performed under the terms of that Agreement, and paid the agreed-upon monies to
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publically condemned and objected to Poor Boy's, Clifford's and Cook's use of the
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stating, among other things, that it breaks a longstanding band agreement." See
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http://ultimateclassicrock.com/john-fogerty-condemns-former-bandmates/, a copy
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letter to counsel for Fogerty enclosing checks for performances and merchandise
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for use of the REVISITED Mark for the second and third quarters of 2011, and
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Agreement. Fogerty did not respond, and, as a result, Poor Boy ceased paying
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Fogerty monies under the Settlement Agreement. To this day, the article and its
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fogerty-condemns-former-bandmates/.
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Fogerty has in the recent past used the CCR Mark without the permission of CCR.
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Most recently, Plaintiffs learned that Fogerty has used the CCR Mark,
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2:15-cv-06069-FMO (FFMx)
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for $30; (ii) hockey pucks bearing the world famous Creedence
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and
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After Plaintiffs sent Fogerty and Venetian a cease and desist letter on
or about October 26, 2015, regarding the Venetian Infringement, Fogerty and/or
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Venetian changed the name of January 2016 Venetian show from JOHN
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contractual relationship with Venetian by the October 26, 2015 cease and desist
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The CCR Mark has not been abandoned in any sense. The CCR Mark
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remains world famous today, and is used to identify the band as a source of CCR
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recordings that are sold in stores and over the internet and performed on radio daily
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around the world. In addition, the CCR Mark has been used by Plaintiffs Clifford
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and Cook to promote their previously recorded work with Creedence Clearwater
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Revival, and Poor Boys substantial, continued and licensed use of the
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REVISITED Mark has inured to the benefit of the CCR Mark and the CCR
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continued use of the CCR Mark repeatedly since at least 1992, by licensing third
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parties through the partnership and ceasing his own infringing use of the CCR
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Fogerty has, and has intended to, explicitly mislead the consuming
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of his goods and services by CCR, including in connection with the Recent
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Infringement.
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by or with CCR, all to CCR's irreparable loss and damage. His infringing conduct
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is not protected by the First Amendment because he is using the CCR Mark as a
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trademark to identify source and not in a descriptive sense to state his former
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Furthermore, CCR will suffer irreparable injury to its reputation and goodwill
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Fogerty has recently alleged that Poor Boy, Clifford and Cook have
violated the terms of the Settlement Agreement by failing to pay royalties and, at
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least impliedly, by asserting that Messrs. Clifford and Cook are required to at all
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times but have not performed together. As such, Fogerty has recently demanded
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payment of all monies allegedly owing from December 2011 to the present,
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performed together. Plaintiffs Cook, Clifford and Poor Boy deny these allegations.
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CLAIM I
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Plaintiffs repeat, reallege, and reiterate each and every paragraph set
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the CCR Mark protected by the 931 Reg., in connection with the sale, offering for
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sale, distribution and advertising of his entertainment services and/or goods, and
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such use is likely to cause confusion, mistake and deception amongst the
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Fogerty's aforesaid acts have caused and will continue to cause great
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and irreparable injury to Plaintiffs and, unless such acts are restrained by this
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Court, such acts will continue and Plaintiffs will therefore continue to suffer great
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CLAIM II
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Plaintiffs repeat, reallege, and reiterate each and every paragraph set
representation, including use of the CCR Marks and derivations thereof, which is
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Fogerty's aforesaid acts have caused and will continue to cause great
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and irreparable injury to Plaintiffs and, unless such acts are restrained by this
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Court, such acts will continue and Plaintiffs will therefore continue to suffer great
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CLAIM III
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Plaintiffs repeat, reallege, and reiterate each and every paragraph set
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imitation and misappropriation of the CCR Mark, unjust enrichment, and unfair
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Fogerty's aforesaid acts have caused and will continue to cause great
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and irreparable injury to Plaintiffs and, unless such acts are restrained by this
Court, such acts will continue and Plaintiffs will therefore continue to suffer great
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CLAIM IV
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Plaintiffs repeat, reallege, and reiterate each and every paragraph set
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b.
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c.
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d.
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harm and damage unless this Court declares that Plaintiffs have not violated the
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Settlement Agreement and have not wrongfully interfered with Fogerty's contract
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with Venetian, that CCR has not abandoned the CCR Mark, and that Fogerty's
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CLAIM V
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(Breach of Contract)
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Plaintiffs repeat, reallege, and reiterate each and every paragraph set
Poor Boy, Clifford, Cook, Ms. Fogerty and Fogerty entered into the
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withdraw his objection to Clifford's and Cook's performing under the REVISITED
Mark. See Exhibit D. The parties also agreed that Clifford, Cook, and Ms.
Fogerty would not authorize any other persons or entities to perform under the
names without the prior written permission of Fogerty. Id. The parties also agreed
that Poor Boy would pay monies to Fogerty for uses the REVISITED Mark. Id.
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52.
Poor Boy, Clifford, Cook, and Ms. Fogerty performed under the terms
of the Settlement Agreement with Fogerty until Fogerty breached the Settlement
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Exhibit D.
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contract, Poor Boy, Clifford, Cook, and Ms. Fogerty have suffered damages in an
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CLAIM VI
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Plaintiffs repeat, reallege, and reiterate each and every paragraph set
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Ms. Fogerty and Fogerty contains an implied covenant of good faith and fair
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dealing.
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The implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing requires that
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Fogerty do nothing to injure the right of Poor Boy, Clifford, Cook, and Ms.
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Fogerty to receive the benefits of that Settlement Agreement, that Fogerty give full
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cooperation to Poor Boy, Clifford, Cook, and Ms. Fogerty, and Fogerty refrains
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from doing any act to prevent or impede Poor Boy, Clifford, Cook, and Ms.
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breach of not only the Settlement Agreement with Poor Boy, Clifford, Cook, and
Ms. Fogerty, but have also resulted in the breach of Fogerty's covenant of good
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implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, Poor Boy, Clifford, Cook, and Ms.
CLAIM VII
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Plaintiffs repeat, reallege, and reiterate each and every paragraph set
Cal. Corp. Code 16401(g) states that a "partner may use or possess
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partnership property only on behalf of the partnership." Cal. Corp. Code 16501
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provides that a "partner is not a coowner of partnership property and has no interest
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Cal. Corp. Code 16404 provides that "(a) the fiduciary duties a partner owes to
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the partnership and the other partners are the duty of loyalty and the duty of care
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set forth in subdivisions (b) and (c)." Subsection (b)(3) of Cal. Corp. Code
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16404 provides that a partner must refrain from competing with the partnership in
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the conduct of the partnership business before the dissolution of the partnership.
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validity of the CCR Mark and denying the existence of a partnership, Fogerty has
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fiduciary duty, CCR, Cook, Clifford and Ms. Fogerty have suffered damages in an
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relief:
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That the Court find that Fogerty has been and is infringing the CCR
Mark and corresponding '931 Reg., and is competing unfairly with Plaintiffs, and
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attributable to his infringement of the CCR Mark and corresponding '931 Reg.
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3.
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Fogerty's infringement of the CCR Mark and corresponding '931 Reg. under 15
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U.S.C. 1117(a).
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employees, successors and assigns, and all persons acting in concert or privity with
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a.
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b.
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c.
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thereto; and
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d.
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b.
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c.
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d.
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///
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///
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That the Court grant Plaintiffs such other relief as is just and proper.
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JURY DEMAND
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