October Term 2014 · Docket 13-1211
Who decides if two trademarks share the same commercial impression?
Hana Financial argues tacking is a legal question. Hana Bank argues it is a factual question for juries.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Hana Financial's advocate stated tacking is a legal fiction.
Hana Bank's advocate argued every court agrees tacking is factual.
Justice Alito questioned the distinction between infringement and tacking.
Chief Justice Roberts noted the Federal Circuit might err like juries.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 26-40 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 26-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 30-32 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 30-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 28-46 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 28-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 26-44 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 26-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 36-38 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 36-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 50-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 50-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 44-48 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 44-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 14-18 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 14-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 8-10 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 8-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 50-4 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 50-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 20-24 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 20-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 42-14 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 42-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-30 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 8-30
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case concerns trademark tacking. This legal doctrine lets owners update marks while keeping old priority dates. The core dispute is whether courts or juries decide if two marks create the same commercial impression.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 28-46 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 28-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 26-44 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 26-44
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 3, 2014.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
What each side wants
Hana Financial wants the Court to classify tacking as a legal question.
Hana Bank wants the Court to classify tacking as a factual question.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 28-46 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 28-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 26-44 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 26-44
What each side says
Hana Financial argues tacking is a legal fiction requiring judicial review.
Hana Bank argues tacking depends on consumer impression, which juries evaluate.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 28-46 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 28-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 26-44 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 26-44
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Roberts asked about evidence on consumer impression between marks.
Justice Alito asked why infringement is for juries but tacking is not.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 26-40 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 26-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 30-32 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 30-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 36-38 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 36-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 50-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 50-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 44-48 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 44-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 14-18 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 14-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 8-10 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 8-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 50-4 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 50-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 20-24 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 20-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 42-14 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 42-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-30 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 8-30
Why it matters
This case defines who decides trademark priority disputes. It shapes how businesses protect brand identity. It affects the balance between judicial consistency and jury fact-finding.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 28-46 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 28-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 26-44 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 26-44
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 26-40 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 26-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 30-32 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 30-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 36-38 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 36-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 50-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 50-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 44-48 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 44-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 14-18 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 14-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 8-10 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 8-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 50-4 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 50-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 20-24 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 20-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 42-14 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 42-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-30 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 8-30
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 28-46 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 28-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 26-44 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 26-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 28-46 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 28-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-34 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 26-44 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 26-44
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.