HRS § 482-4 - Certain trade names not to be adopted or used
AI-assisted research summary: People may not adopt or use trade names, entity names, or union devices that infringe protected ownership rights or are confusingly similar to registered devices.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to adopt or use a trade name or entity name that infringes on any person's ownership rights to any registered trade name, mark, or the name of any entity registered or authorized to transact business in accordance with the laws of this State, or a name the exclusive right to which is, at the time, reserved in this State. In addition to the revocation of a trade name registration or administrative order of abatement provisions in sections 482-8 and 482-8.5, respectively, any person whose ownership rights to a trade name, mark, or entity name are infringed upon by the adoption or use of a confusingly similar trade name or entity name may seek injunctive relief in a court of competent jurisdiction or the imposition of a fine that shall not exceed $2,000, or both. (b) When a bona fide labor union, or association of employees has adopted a device in the form of a label, brand, mark, name, or other character for the purpose of designating the products of the members of the union or association and the device has been registered pursuant to sections 482-2 and 482-3, then it shall be unlawful for any person to adopt, print, distribute, or otherwise use the device or one so similar as to be confused therewith. Any person, except the director, found to be in violation of this subsection may, in addition to any other penalty assessed or otherwise imposed by law, be required to pay all costs and attorney's fees incurred in seeking enforcement of this subsection, and may be ordered by the court to pay damages to the bona fide labor union or association of employees involved in such amount as may be determined by the court; provided that the damages ordered shall not be less than $250 nor more than $5,000. [L 1925, c 174, pt of §1; am L 1931, c 18, §1; RL 1935, §7453; RL 1945, §9288; am L 1951, c 135, §1; RL 1955, §204-4; am L Sp 1959 2d, c 1, §15; am L 1963, c 114, §3; HRS ; am L 1971, c 164, §1; am L 1979, c 102, §1; am L 1980, c 26, §5; am L 1982, c 204, §8; am L 1983, c 124, §17 and c 167, §16; am L 1984, c 118, §8; am L 1985, c 270, §4; am L 1996, c 92, §17; am L 1999, c 249, §34; am L 2000, c 219, §83; am L 2001, c 15, §6; am L 2003, c 124, §85; am L 2008, c 108, §9] Case Notes No likelihood of confusion found. 5 H. App. 194, 683 P.2d 1220.