

Decision of OVG NRW (Higher Administrative Court NRW) of 02/08/2011, file number: 13 B 1659/10
Advertising with medical foot care is reserved only for podiatrists. A masseuse who advertises with such service acts anti-competitively if he has no formation as podiatrist. The layman cannot identify this service only as part of the work of the masseuse but expects a special qualification within the range of the foot care. Such advertising represents a misleading of the patient.
Decision of the Federal Patent Court of 16/08/2011, file number: 28 W (pat) 112/10
The mark “Princess” describes merely the registered products in classes like “Jewelry”, since the description should only involve certain products with a special touch. This does not apply to accessories or similar utility or fashion products in a princess-look.
Judgement of LG Düsseldorf (Regional Court Düsseldorf) of 09/08/2011, file number: 14c O 194/11
Im Geschmacksmuster-Rechtsstreit unterlag nun der Elektronikhersteller Samsung dem Computer-Riesen Apple. Gegenstand des Rechtsstreits war Samsungs Produkt "Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1" - ein Tablet-PC, dessen Gestaltung dem Apple-Produkt "IPad 2" verblüffend ähnlich sieht. Dessen charakteristische Gestaltungsmerkmale hatte sich Apple im Wege eines Geschmacksmusters schützen lassen. Das Landgericht Düsseldorf untersagte dem Hersteller Samsung nun die Benutzung, insbesondere auch die Herstellung, das Anbieten und In-den-Verkehr-bringen, sowie die...
Judgement of LG Mannheim (Regional Court Mannheim) of 12/02/2010, file number: 7 O 84/09
If an execution method uses only minor elements of a foreign proceeding, this foreign patent procedure would not be violated. Minor elements are those that do not contribute to the performance of the results of the protected process, but those that only are the object. The user of a foreign patent infringes that patent if he violates a legal duty which protects the patent.
Press release of the BMJ (Federal Ministry of Justice) of 30/09/2009
The Patent Act should become easier and more modern for the employee’s invention through changes on the registration, on the system of appeal and on the procedure. We have already reported in May about the decision of the German Parliament due to the law draught to the simplification and modernisation of the Patent Law. The changes enter into force on October 1, 2009.
Judgement of OLG Hamm (Higher Regional Court Hamm) of 11/08/2009, file number: 4 U 109/09
If an anew established law firm uses a letterhead or an Internet site in almost identical form as a closed lawyer’s society, just because one of the founders belonged to the former partnership, an unlawful misleading can be understood. Since, thereby, the closed society appears to exist furthermore.