Classic Liquor Importers, Ltd. v. Spirits International B.V.
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
151 F. Supp. 3d 451 (2015)
Spirits International (defendant) made Stolichnaya-brand vodkas and sent Classic Liquor Importers (plaintiff), a new distributor launching a "Royal Elite" vodka, a cease-and-desist letter threatening vigorous trademark enforcement. Classic sued for a declaratory judgment of non-infringement before actually launching its product widely. Spirits moved to dismiss, arguing evidence of actual confusion wasn't yet available given the product's newness, and pointing to a later letter disclaiming any present intent to sue (while still reserving the right to sue later).
Whether, in a trademark case, courts should apply the Declaratory Judgment Act liberally to find an actual controversy.