What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Minnesota
I am an IT consultant and I have an odd situation here and am trying to give my client the warm fuzzies, but I cannot find any mention regarding legal matters pertaining to search engine results. Read on to fully understand:
Joe and Bob used to be partners of a very successful company named Joes and Bobs.
Joe and Bob dissolved the partnership and as part of the partnership dissolution aggreement each retained right to use the name Joes and Bobs, and logo, until either Joe or Bob went out of business, then the other has sole rights to name and logo the the former partner that goes out of business can be fined $1000 per day that the name and logo are used.
5 years later Joe goes out of business. Joe immediately removes all logos, website content, and meta information from his website, but his websites have been designed in a way so that if you search for Joes and Bobs on the internet, Joes website shows up right next to Bobs website.
Joe is concerned that he can be sued because his website shows up in search engines, even though all type and content and meta information is removed.
I cannot find anything on the web resembling this scenario.
If it matters, I do not think the name "Joes and Bobs" or its logo was ever trademarked.
I am an IT consultant and I have an odd situation here and am trying to give my client the warm fuzzies, but I cannot find any mention regarding legal matters pertaining to search engine results. Read on to fully understand:
Joe and Bob used to be partners of a very successful company named Joes and Bobs.
Joe and Bob dissolved the partnership and as part of the partnership dissolution aggreement each retained right to use the name Joes and Bobs, and logo, until either Joe or Bob went out of business, then the other has sole rights to name and logo the the former partner that goes out of business can be fined $1000 per day that the name and logo are used.
5 years later Joe goes out of business. Joe immediately removes all logos, website content, and meta information from his website, but his websites have been designed in a way so that if you search for Joes and Bobs on the internet, Joes website shows up right next to Bobs website.
Joe is concerned that he can be sued because his website shows up in search engines, even though all type and content and meta information is removed.
I cannot find anything on the web resembling this scenario.
If it matters, I do not think the name "Joes and Bobs" or its logo was ever trademarked.