domains Block.xyz says public won't confuse name with H&R Block

[Lox]

Block Inc, the financial-services company formerly known as Square, has asked a Missouri federal court to throw out a trademark infringement lawsuit brought by tax-preparation giant H&R Block, arguing its new name won't confuse potential customers.

Block said in a Friday court filing that it doesn't offer any customer-facing products under the Block name, and that a reasonable consumer couldn't confuse its competing tax-preparation product, Cash App Taxes, with H&R Block's services.

read more (reuters) / PDF attached

 

[Keith]

They chose to be HRblock, not block. Unreal.

Block.tv here!

 

[silentg]

Lawyers are happy . What a waste of resources

 

[jhm]

Just an opportunity to get paid

 

[pranker]

They chose to be HRblock, not block. Unreal.

"H&R Block" contains the word block, which they clearly own for financial services.


want to try to form a burger restaurant with the prefix "Mc-" and see how fast you lose in court? "but my restaurants name is McBurger not mcdonalds! how can they sue me!"


In 2004, McDonald's sued Cebu-based fast food restaurant MacJoy for using a very similar trade name In February 2007, the Philippine Supreme Court upheld the right of McDonald's over its registered and internationally recognized trademarks. As a result, the owners of MacJoy, the Espina family, was forced to change its trademark into MyJoy, which went into effect with the re-opening of its two branches in Cebu City on August that year.

In 1994, McDonald's successfully forced Elizabeth McCaughey of the San Francisco Bay Area to change the trading name of her coffee shop McCoffee, which had operated under that name for 17 years.

In 1996, McDonald's forced Scottish sandwich shop owner Mary Blair of Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire to drop McMunchies as her trading name. Mrs. Blair did not sell burgers or chips. She said she chose the name because she liked the word munchies and wanted the cafe to have a Scottish feel. The cafe's sign reflected this, featuring a Scottish thistle and a St Andrew's flag. But in a statement to Mrs. Blair's solicitors, McDonald's said if someone used the Mc prefix, even unintentionally, they were using something that does not belong to them

 

[forge]

Edit: If "Block" (Dorsey) indeed bought Intuit with the intention of getting into the tax prep biz, that does change the whole ballgame.

Such a load of tosh. H&R Block: The company was founded in 1955 by brothers Henry W. Bloch and Richard Bloch. Essentially they "Americanized" the family name. But attempting to co-opt the generic word is absolutely ludicrous. It's only a fraction of their mark anyway.

 

[pranker]

Such a load of tosh. H&R Block: The company was founded in 1955 by brothers Henry W. Bloch and Richard Bloch. Essentially they "Americanized" the family name. But attempting to co-opt the generic word is absolutely ludicrous. It's only a fraction of their mark anyway.

Block agreed to buy Intuit tax-prep business last year and plans to deliver tax returns via Cash App. (the logo is also too similar to theirs)


So block does tax prep just like h&r block. You don't see how it might be a little confusing and infringing?

 

[forge]

^ yep, I edited my comment exactly on those same grounds.

 

[F.E.]

As someone who is deeply familiar with situation (even before rebranding happened) I can tell you that there will be NO legal concenquences for Block Inc/Square. Legal research has been done even before we initiated rebranding, consultation with two major IP offices including with in-house lawyers, they're wasting resources and hopefully will face backlash after this is settled.

 

[pranker]

As someone who is deeply familiar with situation (even before rebranding happened) I can tell you that there will be NO legal concenquences for Block Inc/Square. Legal research has been done even before we initiated rebranding, consultation with two major IP offices including with in-house lawyers, they're wasting resources and hopefully will face backlash after this is settled.

we shall see.

 

[karmaco]

Block agreed to buy Intuit tax-prep business last year and plans to deliver tax returns via Cash App. (the logo is also too similar to theirs)


So block does tax prep just like h&r block. You don't see how it might be a little confusing and infringing?

Block doesn’t do tax preparation —-its a parent company name. Intuit and Cash App handle that. Others are allowed to be in the space. H&R with their modified spelling of a last name can suck it.

 

[F.E.]

Block doesn’t do tax preparation —-its a parent company name. Intuit and Cash App handle that. Others are allowed to be in the space. H&R with their modified spelling of a last name can suck it.

Well said

 

[AEProgram]

H&R Bullocks

 

[pranker]

Block doesn’t do tax preparation —-its a parent company name. Intuit and Cash App handle that. Others are allowed to be in the space. H&R with their modified spelling of a last name can suck it.

block bought a tax prep company. you clearly skipped that part. they plan on doing tax prep.

even if they didnt, HR Blocks trademark covers financial services. block obviously does that.

 

[F.E.]

block bought a tax prep company. you clearly skipped that part. they plan on doing tax prep.

even if they didnt, HR Blocks trademark covers financial services. block obviously does that.

So let me explain to you something. Block, as an investment holding, does have NO intentions of selling any services. Tax prep business will probably be integrated into Square or stay as is. Block hence helds no accountability.

Example: Imagine if different company helds Meta as trademark for social media network. If your points are valid, that company could sue Meta (Facebook/Instagram/Whatsapp) for providing social network service under name Meta, and win on court.

Square is operating as Square Capital LLC, which owned by Block Inc.

So in other terms, they are just wasting time, money hoping to get some quick media attention and quick cash.

 

[pranker]

So let me explain to you something. Block, as an investment holding, does have NO intentions of selling any services. Tax prep business will probably be integrated into Square or stay as is. Block hence helds no accountability.

Example: Imagine if different company helds Meta as trademark for social media network. If your points are valid, that company could sue Meta (Facebook/Instagram/Whatsapp) for providing social network service under name Meta, and win on court.

Square is operating as Square Capital LLC, which owned by Block Inc.

So in other terms, they are just wasting time, money hoping to get some quick media attention and quick cash.

i get the argument you're going to, but i dont think its exactly an "investment holding." the companys name was square before, and now its block. theres no giant corporate restructuring, but even if there was it wouldnt negate the trademark infringement. you cant infringe on trademarks then try to say "well we just invest in financial services. we dont actually own and operate them!" when they clearly do operate them.

we will see how it plays out in court. maybe you are right, and the block name is just in the background enough. i see your point with the meta comparison. i actually like the google to alphabet renaming comparison too. alphabet is in the background and almost nobody remembers that alphabet is the company name, its just in the background. i imagine that block and meta will be similar to alphabet.

 

[F.E.]

good point, but Square Inc changed name to Block Inc.

Square is operating financial services under Square Capital LLC, which existed evem before Block Inc