No. 19-46 IN THE Supreme Court of the United States ———— UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, et al., Petitioners, v. BOOKING.COM B.V., Respondent. ———— On Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ———— BRIEF OF TRADEMARK AND INTERNET LAW PROFESSORS AS AMICI CURIAE IN SUPPORT OF RESPONDENT ———— J. MICHAEL JAKES Counsel of Record DOUGLAS A. RETTEW FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT & DUNNER, LLP 901 New York Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001 (202) 408-4000
[email protected] Counsel for Amicus Curiae February 19, 2020 WILSON-EPES PRINTING CO., INC. – (202) 789-0096 – WASHINGTON, D. C. 20002 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TABLE OF AUTHORITIES ....................................... iii STATEMENT OF INTEREST OF AMICUS CURIAE ................................................... 1 SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT ..................................... 2 ARGUMENT ................................................................ 6 I. CONSUMER USE IS THE CORE OF TRADEMARK LAW ......................................... 6 II. IGNORING EVIDENCE OF CON- SUMER USE IS MISGUIDED, EVEN IN CASES OF OSTENSIBLE GENERIC- NESS ................................................................. 8 A. Words and symbols—including com- mercial trademarks—change as they are used ........................................................ 9 B. Error-cost analysis does not require ignoring trademark meaning in gener- icness cases ................................................ 11 i. Narrowing language change ................ 11 ii. The PTO