Publications International, Ltd. V. Landoll, Inc.

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

164 F.3d 337 (1998)

Relevant factsFree

Publications International (plaintiff) claimed Landoll (defendant) copied its cookbooks' distinctive trade dress, including matching page size, gilded page edges, and oilcloth covers; the district court granted Landoll summary judgment, finding the claimed features functional rather than source-identifying, and Publications International appealed.

IssueFree

Whether a combination of functional features in a single trade dress is protectable under trademark law when that combination represents the only practical way the product could look to remain competitive in the market.

Holding & reasoning

The court resolved the question by applying the controlling rule to the facts and explaining precisely why the outcome followed. Its reasoning ties the doctrine to the record so you can reproduce the analysis on an exam.

Procedural history, concurrence & dissent

This section traces the case from the trial court through appeal and lays out how each opinion lands. Separate writings sharpen the majority's limits and flag the arguments most likely to resurface in class.

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