Joyspring Holdings, LLC v. Cosy Trading Co., Ltd., dba ZMDRT, and Gaomishilaerfudianzishang Wuyouxiangongsi dba ZXJYDBT
D. Utah10/30/2025
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THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF UTAH JOYSPRING HOLDINGS, LLC, MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER GRANTING [24] PLAINTIFFâS Plaintiff, MOTION FOR DEFAULT JUDGMENT AND PERMANENT INJUNCTION v. Case No. 2:25-cv-00298-DBB-DBP COSY TRADING CO., LTD., dba ZMDRT, a Hong Kong Limited Liability Company, District Judge David Barlow and GAOMISHILAERFUDIANZISHANG WUYOUXIANGONGSI dba ZXJYDBT, an unknown Chinese entity, Defendants. Before the court is Plaintiff Joyspring Holdings, LLCâs (âJoyspringâ) Motion for Default Judgment and Permanent Injunction against Defendants Cosy Trading Co., Ltd., dba ZMRDT (âCosy Tradingâ), and Gaomishilaerfudianzishangwuyouxiangongsi dba ZXJYDBT (âZXJYDBTâ) (collectively, the âDefendantsâ).1 Defendants have failed to appear or defend, and default has been entered. For the reasons below, the court grants Joyspringâs motion. BACKGROUND Joyspring is an online retailer of natural supplements and vitamins for children.2 Joyspring has a federally registered âJOYSPRINGâ trademark and alleges that Defendants used counterfeit product listings to sell products that resemble Joyspringâs.3 1 Mot. for Entry of Default J. and Permanent Inj. (âMot. for Default J.â), ECF No. 24, filed Aug. 11, 2025. 2 Compl. 5, ECF No. 1, filed Apr. 16, 2025. 3 Id. 2â3. ence My bag (0) Legin Home > Shopall > Vital Vits Vital Vits wee ae ae See All Reviews (199) Support your child's health with a blend of vital vitamins that Fo help boost their immune system, energy, and overall well-being, fy © Gy Supports immune Health + #* Packed with Essential Vitamins ar 4 . Fast-Absorbing Liquid os * âĄâĄ Made inthe USA La * @Forkids 3+ Ey y © One time buy $24.99 on 4 F © Subscribe $2689 $21.24 I, âĄâĄ âĄâĄâĄ âĄâĄâĄ 008 *; Rufus Oe eC ae eee âĄâĄ ee ee een Health & Personal Care = Household Supplies Vitamins. & Diet Supplements Baby & Child Care Health Care = Sports Nutritien «© Sexual wellness «Health & Wellness Medical Supplies & Equipment Health & Household + Vitamins, Minerals & Supplements + Vitamins + Vitarnin B + B-Complex ri a oySpring Burst B12 Drops - Vitamin B Complex th J ySp 9 PS PI 7 $399? 120.00 / F102) â JOYSPRING for Kids (2 fl oz) B2, B6, BS + Methylcobalamin 7 FREE delivery Thursday, April a B12 Children Supplement to Support Healthy ie | Burst | : Growth & Development, Vegan B12, Ages 2-164 â@ pubverto brian pat spmws tea De af | 60 Servings me FRE 7 Brand: Zmret In Stock a Search this page lb = \ $ 99 Quantity: 1 v 4 vommme be 39% tÂą20.00 / M1 on) a i | dai wee Get $100 off instantly: Pay $0.00 upon approval for Prime Visa. âĄâĄâĄ eB | Brand Emrdt 1 Item Form Liquid Ships fram ZXJ„OBT a Primary Vitamin 82, B-Complex, Vitamin 612, Vitamin B5, Vitamin eo Retums Non-returnable due to Roll over image to zoom In Supplement Type = 86 Focd safety reasons Diet Type Vegan Payment Secure transaction Aske Rufus Flavor 8 Complex See more Are there any side effects from using this product? About this item ââââ Add to List Is it suitable for kids with allergies or sensitivities? ea â How long does one bottle typically last? & Report an issue with this product or seller 4+ The first image shows one of Joyspringâs listings, and the second image shows one of Defendantsâ listings on ° Amazon. See id. Exs. A & F. On April 16, 2025, Joyspring filed its Complaint, asserting one count of trademark infringement.5 Joyspring alleges that Defendants caused Amazon to temporarily disable Joyspringâs product listings by filing âdozens of false DMCA copyright infringement complaints.â6 Meanwhile, Defendants allegedly created counterfeit product listings using Joyspringâs trademark and sold their counterfeit products through Amazon, which delivers goods throughout the United States.7 On May 23, 2025, the court converted its previously issued temporary restraining order against Defendants into a preliminary injunction.8 DISCUSSION Joyspring seeks default judgment, a permanent injunction, and attorneysâ fees and costs. The court addresses each request in order. I. Default Judgment â[W]hen entry of default is sought against a party who has failed to plead or otherwise defend, the district court has an affirmative duty to look into its jurisdiction both over the subject matter and the parties.â9 5 Id. ¶¶ 25â44. The Complaint also included one count of DMCA Misrepresentation, but the Mot. for Default J. does not address that claim. 6 Id. ¶16. 7 Id. ¶¶ 17â19, 24. 8 See Order Granting Mot. to Convert TRO to Prelim. Inj., ECF No. 20, filed May 23, 2025. 9 Deville v. Wilson, 208 Fed. Appâx 629, 631 (10th Cir. 2006 (quoting Williams v. Life Sav. & Loan, 802 F.2d 1200, 1203 (10th Cir. 1986)). A. Subject Matter Jurisdiction Exists and the Court Can Exercise Personal Jurisdiction Over Defendants. This court has subject matter jurisdiction over the action because Joyspringâs claim arises under federal trademark law.10 The question of personal jurisdiction is a closer one, however, because Defendants are foreign entities. The burden of proving that the court has personal jurisdiction rests on the plaintiff.11 âIn reviewing its personal jurisdiction, the court does not assert a personal [jurisdiction] defense of the parties; rather, the court exercises its responsibility to determine that it has the power to enter the default judgment.â12 1. The Court Can Exercise Personal Jurisdiction over Defendants Pursuant to Rule 4(k)(2). Joyspring contends the court may assert personal jurisdiction over Defendants under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(k)(2).13 âIn limited circumstances, Rule 4(k)(2) allows courts to examine a defendantâs contacts with the United States as a whole, as opposed to contacts with a particular state.â14 The Rule states that for âa claim that arises under federal law,â serving a summons establishes personal jurisdiction if âthe defendant is not subject to jurisdiction in any stateâs courts of general jurisdictionâ and âexercising jurisdiction is consistent with the United States Constitution and laws.â15 If these three elements are met, then the Rule âprovides for federal long-arm jurisdiction.â16 10 Compl. ¶¶ 25â44; 15 U.S.C. §§ 1051 et seq. (âThe Lanham Actâ); 15 U.S.C. § 1121 (granting district courts original jurisdiction âof all actions arising under [The Lanham Act]â). 11 See Melea, Ltd. v. Jawer S.A., 511 F.3d 1060, 1065 (10th Cir. 2007). 12 Williams, 802 F.2d at 1203. 13 Mot. for Default J. 5â11. 14 Compaá·nia de Inversiones Mercantiles, S.A. v. Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua S.A.B. de C.V., 970 F.3d 1269, 1282 (10th Cir. 2020), cert. denied, 141 S. Ct. 2793. 15 Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(k)(2)(A)â(B). 16 CGC Holding Co., LLC v. Hutchens, 974 F.3d 1201, 1208 (10th Cir. 2020). The first element, which requires that the claim âarises under federal law,â is easily met here because Joyspringâs claim of trademark infringement arises under federal law.17 The second element, known as the ânegation requirement,â requires that âthe defendant is not subject to jurisdiction in any stateâs courts of general jurisdiction.â18 Although a plaintiff typically must establish personal jurisdiction, âin the context of Rule 4(k)(2) that general provision would saddle the plaintiff with an extraordinary challenge in âproving a negative many times over,â that is, demonstrating that the defendant is not subject to jurisdiction in each of the fifty states.â19 Instead, many federal courts, including the Tenth Circuit, place the burden on the defendant.20 Thus, âa defendant who wants to preclude the use of Rule 4(k)(2) has only to name some other state in which the suit could proceed.â21 Here, Defendants have not indicated they are already subject to jurisdiction in another stateâs court.22 Therefore, this element is satisfied. The third element requires that the exercise of jurisdiction comports with due process.23 âThe Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment constrains a Stateâs authority to bind a nonresident defendant to a judgment of its courts.â24 â[T]o exercise jurisdiction in harmony with due process, defendants must have âminimum contactsâ with the forum state, such that having to defend a lawsuit there would not âoffend traditional notions of fair play and substantial 17 Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(k)(2); see The Lanham Act; Hetronic Intâl, Inc. v. Hetronic Germany GmbH, 99 F.4th 1150, 1159 (10th Cir. 2024) (âThe Lanham Act regulates and protects the use of federally registered trademarks in U.S. commerce.â). 18 Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(k)(2)(A). 19 Merial Ltd. v. Cipla Ltd., 681 F.3d 1283, 1294 (Fed. Cir. 2012) (emphasis in original) (quoting Touchcom, Inc. v. Bereskin & Parr, 574 F.3d 1403, 1413 (Fed. Cir. 2009). 20 Compaá·nia de Inversiones Mercantiles, 970 F.3d at 1284. 21 Id. (citation omitted). 22 Mot. for Default J. 7. 23 See Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(k)(2)(B). 24 Walden v. Fiore, 571 U.S. 277, 283 (2014). justice.ââ25 âThe due process analysis under Rule 4(k)(2) is nearly identical to traditional personal jurisdiction analysis with one significant difference: rather than considering contacts between [the defendant] and the forum state, we consider contacts with the nation as a whole.â26 âIn practice, this analysis takes the form of either general or specific jurisdiction.â27 âGeneral personal jurisdiction means that a court may exercise personal jurisdiction over an out- of-state party for all purposes.â28 This type of jurisdiction is appropriate when corporationsâ âaffiliations with the State are so âcontinuous and systematicâ as to render them essentially at home in the forum State.â29 JoySpring does not argue that the court has general personal jurisdiction over the defendants, so the court does not address general personal jurisdiction further. In contrast, a court has specific jurisdiction over a defendant if âthe suit arises out of or relates to the defendantâs contacts with the forum.â30 To establish minimum contacts for specific jurisdiction, the defendant âmust have âpurposefully directed its activities at residents of the forum state,ââ and ââthe plaintiffâs injuries must arise out of the defendantâs forum-related activities.ââ31 The contacts must stem from defendantâs choices and not be merely ârandom, isolated, or fortuitous.â32 25 Dudnikov v. Chalk & Vermilion Fine Arts, Inc., 514 F.3d 1063, 1070 (10th Cir. 2008) (quoting Intâl Shoe Co. v. Washington, 326 U.S. 310, 316 (1945)). 26 Holland Am. Line Inc. v. WĂ€rtsilĂ€ N. Am., Inc., 485 F.3d 450, 462 (9th Cir. 2007). 27 Smith v. Rest. Depot, No. 24-3056, 2024 WL 4235067, at *2 (10th Cir. 2024). 28 Old Republic Ins. Co. v. Contâl Motors, Inc., 877 F.3d 895, 903 (10th Cir. 2017). 29 Id. at 904 (quoting Intâl Shoe, 326 U.S. at 317). 30 Daimler AG v. Bauman, 571 U.S. 117, 127 (2014) (citation omitted). 31 Old Republic Ins., 877 F.3d 895, 904 (10th Cir. 2017) (quoting Shrader v. Biddinger, 633 F.3d 1235, 1239â40 (10th Cir. 2011)). 32 Keeton v. Hustler Magazine, Inc., 465 U.S. 770, 774 (1984). a. Defendants Purposefully Direct Activities at the United States. Here, the contacts between Defendants and the United States meet the purposefully directed element. Defendants are selling counterfeit products on Amazon, a U.S. company, to U.S. customers.33 Defendants have also filed dozens of false DMCA copyright infringement complaints against Joyspringâs products with Amazon.34 Finally, Defendants created duplicate product listings for counterfeit products using Joyspringâs trademark and product photos.35 These contacts demonstrate that Defendants choose to directly engage with the U.S. marketplace, both in its filings with a U.S. company and in its advertisements to U.S. customers. Thus, Joyspring has met the purposefully directed element of specific jurisdiction. b. Joyspringâs Injuries Arise from Defendantsâ Activities. Next, Joyspring meets the second element of specific jurisdiction because its injuries âarise out ofâ Defendantsâ contacts.36 Joyspringâs Complaint centers on Defendantsâ activities in the United States. In particular, Defendants sell counterfeit products on Amazon in the United States and their false DMCA complaints with Amazon form the basis of Joyspringâs claims.37 c. Jurisdiction over Defendants Would Be Fair and Reasonable Finally, the remaining element that jurisdiction not âoffend traditional notions of fair play and substantial justiceâ is met here.38 When minimum contacts are met, defendants âmust present a compelling case that the presence of some other considerations would render 33 Mot. for Default J. 8. 34 Id. 7â8. 35 Id. 8. 36 Helicopteros Nacionales de Colombia, S.A. v. Hall, 466 U.S. 408, 414 (1984). 37 Compl. 2â3. 38 Dudnikov, 514 F.3d at 1070 (10th Cir. 2008) (quoting Intâl Shoe, 326 U.S. at 316). jurisdiction unreasonable.â39 Courts consider the following factors in weighing the reasonableness of jurisdiction over a foreign defendant: â(1) the extent of contact with the forum state, (2) the inconvenience of having to litigate in a foreign jurisdiction, (3) judicial economy, (4) the probable situs of discovery proceedings, and (5) the nature of the defendantâs activities and its impact beyond [its] stateâs borders.â40 The first factor weighs in favor of jurisdiction. Defendants target U.S. customers with counterfeit product listings on a U.S.-based company. Defendants have been on âfair notice that their activities will render them liable to suit in a particular forumâ when they âpurposefully directed [their] activities at residents of the forum.â41 Thus, they have sufficient contacts in the United States. The second factor includes three sub-factors: â(a) the nature and extent and interstate character of the defendantâs business, (b) the defendantâs access to counsel, and (c) the distance from the defendant to the place where the action was brought.â42 The first two subfactors weigh in favor of jurisdiction. First, Defendants are attempting to operate an international business of counterfeiting products for sale in the United States. Second, Defendants have not indicated they would be unable to obtain counsel here. The third subfactor is less clear because Defendantsâ residence is unknown. But even assuming Defendants, as Chinese entities, reside in China, the distance is not dispositive since âin 39 ProAxess, Inc. v. Orlux Distrib., Inc., 428 F.3d 1270, 1280 (10th Cir. 2005) (quoting Burger King v. Rudzewicz, 471 U.S. 462, 477 (1985)). 40 Klein v. Cornelius, 786 F.3d 1310, 1318 (10th Cir. 2015) (citing Peay v. BellSouth Med. Assistance Plan, 205 F.3d 1206, 1212 (10th Cir. 2000)). 41 Republic of Panama v. BCCI Holdings (Luxembourg) S.A., 119 F.3d 935, 942 (11th Cir. 1997) (quoting Burger King, 471 U.S. at 470â77 (1985). See also Peay, 205 F.3d at 1213 (âBecause defendants rendered benefits in Utah, they knew or should have known that a dispute over benefits could arise in Utah.â). 42 Peay, 205 F.3d at 1212. this age of instant communication and modern transportation, the burdens of litigating in a distant forum have lessened.â43 Indeed, âit is only in highly unusual cases that inconvenience will rise to a level of constitutional concern.â44 Therefore, the second element supports jurisdiction. The third element weighs in favor of jurisdiction. Judicial economy would be best served by exercising jurisdiction. The court is now familiar with the matter and unaware of any other court with a claim to jurisdiction. Accordingly, this element favors jurisdiction. The element regarding where discovery would likely take place is inapplicable. Plaintiffs are not seeking any discovery, and Defendants have not appeared. Finally, the fifth factor supports jurisdiction. This factor considers âthe nature of the regulated activity in question and the extent of impact that the defendantâs activities have beyond the border of [the defendantâs] state of residence or business.â45 Here, the regulated activity is infringement of U.S. trademarks by selling counterfeit products in the United States. Accordingly, the infringing activities have a far-reaching impact that includes the United States. In sum, the court may exercise personal jurisdiction over Defendants under Rule 4(k)(2) because Joyspringâs claims arise âunder federal law,â Defendants have not established that they are âsubject to the jurisdiction in any stateâs courts of general jurisdiction,â and âexercising jurisdiction is consistent with the United States Constitution and laws.â46 43 Id. at 1213 (citations omitted). 44 Id. at 1212â13 (quoting Republic of Panama, 119 F.3d at 947). 45 Id. at 1212. 46 Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(k)(2)(A)â(B). B. Default Judgment Is Proper Against Defendants for Trademark Infringement. Default judgment is a drastic step.47 âStrong policies favor resolution of disputes on their merits.â But âa workable system of justice requires that litigants not be free to appear at their pleasureâ and courts âmust hold parties and their attorneys to a reasonably high standard of diligence in observing the courtsâ rules of procedures.â48 Thus, a default judgment is appropriate to protect a diligent party from âinterminable delay and continued uncertaintyâ about its rights âwhen the adversary process has been halted because of an essentially unresponsive party.â49 In this type of case, â[t]he default judgment remedy serves as such a protection.â50 Here, despite notice and service of process several months ago, Defendants have failed to appear or defend against Joyspringâs claims.51 Accordingly, default has been entered.52 When that occurs, âit remains for the court to consider whether the unchallenged facts constitute a legitimate cause of action, since a party in default does not admit mere conclusions of law.â53 Thus, if the Complaint and any record evidence support Joyspringâs claims and damages, it is entitled to judgment. 47 See, e.g., M.E.N. Co. v. Control Fluidics, Inc., 834 F.2d 869, 872 (10th Cir. 1987) (â[D]efault judgment is a harsh sanction.â). 48 In re Rains, 946 F.2d 731, 733 (10th Cir. 1991) (quoting Cessna Fin. Corp. v. Bielenberg Masonry Contracting, Inc., 715 F.2d 1442, 1444 (10th Cir. 1983)). 49 Id. at 732 (quoting H.F. Livermore Corp. v. Aktiengesellschaft Gebruder Loepfe, 432 F.2d 689, 691 (D.C. Cir. 1970)). 50 Id. at 733. 51 See ECF Nos. 12 & 19. 52 See ECF No. 25. 53 Bixler v. Foster, 596 F.3d 751, 762 (10th Cir. 2010) (citation omitted). 1. Claim Joyspring alleges that Defendants have infringed on their federally registered JOYSPRING trademark with their counterfeit product listings and sale of counterfeit goods.54 Under the Lanham Act, trademark âinfringement exists when a partyâs use of a mark creates a likelihood of confusion.â55 To establish trademark infringement, Joyspring must prove that (1) it âhas a protectable interest in the trademarkâ; (2) Defendants have âused an identical or similar trademark in commerceâ; and (3) Defendants have âlikely confused customers by using a similar trademark.â56 The court addresses each element in turn. a. Joyspringâs trademark is protectable. A federally registered trademark enjoys a presumption of protectability under the Lanham Act.57 It is undisputed that Joyspring owns the federally registered JOYSPRING mark.58 Thus, this element is met. b. Defendants use Joyspringâs trademark in commerce. Joyspring alleges that Defendants use its trademark to advertise and sell counterfeit goods.59 âTo invoke the protections of the Lanham Act, a plaintiff must show that the alleged infringer used the plaintiffâs mark âin connection with any goods or services.ââ60 The undisputed 54 Compl. 11. 55 Elevate Fed. Credit Union v. Elevations Credit Union, 67 F.4th 1058, 1066 (10th Cir. 2023). 56 Derma Pen, LLC v. 4EverYoung Ltd., 773 F.3d 1117, 1120 (10th Cir. 2014) (quoting 1-800 Contacts, Inc. v. Lens.com, Inc., 722 F.3d 1229, 1238 (10th Cir. 2013). 57 Weber Luke All., LLC v. Studio 1C Inc., 233 F. Supp. 3d 1245, 1250 (D. Utah Feb. 8, 2017) (âRegistering the trademark entitles the owner to a presumption that its mark is valid.â). 58 Compl., Ex. B (listing JOYSPRING trademark as Reg. No. 5,265,435, registered on Aug. 15, 2017). 59 Id. 11. 60 Utah Lighthouse Ministry v. Found. for Apologetic Info. & Research, 527 F.3d 1045, 1051â52 (10th Cir. 2008) (quoting The Lanham Act). evidence shows that Defendants post listings on Amazon to sell products under Joyspringâs trademark.61 Accordingly, this element is met. c. Defendantsâ use of Joyspringâs trademark is likely to cause confusion. Likelihood of confusion is typically evaluated by a six-factor test in which the court considers: â(1) the level of care likely to be exercised by purchasers, (2) the strength or weakness of the senior mark, (3) the degree of similarity between the marks, (4) the intent of the alleged infringer in using the mark, (5) the similarity of products and manner of marketing, and (6) evidence of actual confusion.â62 âThese factors are interrelated and no one factor is dispositive.â63 âBut the degree of similarity is the most important factor.â64 The first factor weighs against confusion. âIf consumers generally exercise great care when choosing a product, theyâre less likely to experience confusion.â65 And â[a] consumerâs care generally intensifies with the importance of the product.â66 Joyspring sells supplements and vitamins for children. Because consumers generally exercise great care when choosing products for their children, this factor weighs against the confusion element. The next factor considers the strength of the senior mark. âThe stronger the mark, the greater the likelihood that encroachment on the mark will cause confusion.â67 Strength of a trademark encompasses âtwo aspects: conceptual strength, or the markâs place on the spectrum 61 Compl. Exs. CâG. 62 Elevate Fed. Credit Union, 67 F.4th at 1072 (citing Sally Beauty Co., Inc. v. Beautyco, Inc., 304 F.3d 964, 972 (10th Cir. 2002). 63 Sally Beauty, 304 F.3d at 972. 64 Affliction Holdings, LLC v. Utah Vap or Smoke, LLC, 935 F.3d 1112, 1115 (10th Cir. 2019). 65 Elevate Fed. Credit Union, 67 F.4th at 1072. 66 Id. 67 Sally Beauty, 304 F.3d at 975. of distinctiveness, and commercial strength, or its level of recognition in the marketplace.â68 Courts measure conceptual strength along a spectrum of distinctiveness.69 Joyspring asserts that its trademark falls on the strong end of the spectrum âbetween arbitrary and fanciful because it is a compound word not otherwise in existence and is without intrinsic ties to the product or service.â70 Along this spectrum, âarbitraryâ means âthat the mark is a word or symbol already in common use that does not have any apparent relation to the product,â and âfancifulâ means âthat the mark is a novel word or design that has been coined for the sole purpose of serving as a trademark.â71 Both words fall on the conceptually strong end of the spectrum.72 Because âjoyâ and âspringâ are two words not ordinarily combined, and the compound word âjoyspringâ does not otherwise exist, the trademark has conceptual strength. In terms of commercial strength, Joyspring alleges the âJOYSPRINGâ trademark has âfound viral marketing and sales success online.â73 Accordingly, this factor favors Joyspring. The Tenth Circuit views the third factor, which considers the degree of similarity between the marks, as âthe most important factor.â74 âThe degree of similarity between marks rests on sight, sound, and meaning.â75 Courts should not dissect marks to analyze them but rather âconsider the marks as a whole as they are encountered by consumers in the marketplace.â76 Here, the marks appear identical. When comparing the counterfeit listings to Joyspringâs, the two 68 Water Pik, Inc. v. Med-Syst., Inc., 726 F.3d 1136, 1151 (10th Cir. 2013). 69 Id. at 1152. 70 Mot. for Default J. 14. 71 Water Pik, 726 F.3d at 1152. 72 Id. 73 Compl. ¶ 14. 74 Affliction Holdings, 935 F.3d at 1115. 75 Sally Beauty, 304 F.3d at 972. 76 Water Pik, 726 F.3d at 1155 (internal quotation marks omitted). marks are indistinguishable. Thus, the similarity between the marks weighs heavily in favor of Joyspring. The remaining factors also favor Joyspring. Defendantsâ use of a mark and listings identical to Joyspringâs speaks to their intent to misappropriate Joyspringâs trademark and to the similarity of the products and manner of marketing. âProof that a defendant chose a mark with the intent of copying the plaintiffâs mark may, standing alone, justify an inference of likelihood of confusion.â77 Finally, the actual confusion factor supports Joyspring. The fact that Amazon took down Joyspringâs listings when Defendants filed false claims of infringement implies it was sufficiently confused by the identical listings. Accordingly, there is a high likelihood of confusion under these remaining factors. In sum, the court finds that Defendantsâ use of Joyspringâs trademark is likely to cause confusion. Joyspring has demonstrated it âhas a protectable interest in the trademark,â Defendants have âused an identical or similar trademark in commerce,â and Defendants have âlikely confused customers by using a similar trademark.â78 Therefore, the court finds that Joyspring prevails on its claim of trademark infringement against Defendants. 2. Damages The court now turns to the question of whether Joyspringâs allegations support damages, and if so, in what amount. â[A] court may not enter a default judgment without a hearing unless the amount claimed is a liquidated sum or one capable of mathematical calculation.â79 Here, no 77 Sally Beauty, 304 F.3d at 973. 78 Derma Pen, 773 F.3d at 1120 (quoting 1-800 Contacts, 722 F.3d at 1238). 79 Venable v. Haislip, 721 F.2d 297, 300 (10th Cir. 1983). hearing is necessary because the damages are capable of mathematical calculation.80 Furthermore, the evidence before the court is sufficient to ascertain the damages âwithout requiring a formal hearing.â81 Additionally, because Defendants have clearly chosen not to appear and defend, any such hearing would serve no material purpose. Joyspring requests statutory maximum damages in the amount of $2,000,000.82 Under the Lanham Act, a plaintiff may seek an award of statutory damages rather than actual damages and profits.83 And if the court finds that the âuse of the countermark was willful,â it may award up to $2,000,000 per counterfeit mark.84 âStatutory damages are particularly appropriate in a case, such as this one, in which [the] defendant has failed to mount a defense or to participate in discovery, thereby increasing the difficulty of ascertaining [the] plaintiffâs actual damages.â85 A court âhas broad discretion in calculating damages, as the Lanham Act merely directs the [c]ourt to impose the award that it âconsiders just.ââ86 âConsistent with this directive, courts factor in various considerations when synthesizing an award of statutory damages, including the size and sophistication of the counterfeiting scheme, deterrence interests, the defendantâs level of engagement in the litigation, and the defendantâs efforts to evade or artificially reduce liability.â87 Additional factors include âthe 80 See Marcus Food Co. v. DiPanfilo, 671 F.3d 1159, 1172 (10th Cir. 2011) (affirming a default judgment that was entered without a hearing because the damages were capable of mathematical calculation). 81 Minden Pictures, Inc. v. Buzznick, LLC, 2023 WL 2243177, at *4 (D. Utah Feb. 27, 2023); see also id. at n.35 (â[T]he hearing requirement can be satisfied by the submission of affidavits or other proper documentary evidence if doing so will create a record sufficient for the court to decide the matters before it.â (internal quotation marks omitted)). 82 Mot. for Default J. 25. 83 15 U.S.C. § 1117(c). 84 Id. § 1117(c)(2). 85 Jackson v. Sturkie, 255 F. Supp. 2d 1096, 1101 (N.D. Cal. 2003). 86 Acushnet Co. v. McMurdie, 4:23-cv-00025, 2025 WL 754032, at *7 (D. Utah Mar. 10, 2025) (quoting 15 U.S.C. § 1117(c)(2)). 87 Id. expenses saved and the profits reaped,â and âthe revenues lost by the plaintiff.â88 Here, the revenues lost by Joyspring weighs strongly against a maximum award because the record shows only five sales and an account balance for Defendant ZXJYDBT of $66.55.89 However, the remaining factors support an award of more than the minimum in statutory damages. The size of Defendantsâ counterfeiting scheme is unknown, largely because Defendants did not participate in this case or provide evidence. But the fact that Defendants used Amazon, the worldâs leading online retailer, to sell its counterfeit products suggests Defendantsâ scheme potentially could have had a vast span.90 As a result, this factor favors a significant award, as do the deterrence interests in this case. The âimportant deterrent purpose served by statutory damagesâ is needed in a case such as this where Defendants have profited, at virtually no expense, from stealing the advertising and product development in which Joyspring has invested.91 Joyspring avers that its investment has been in the âtens of thousands of dollars.â92 Furthermore, Defendantsâ refusal to participate in the litigation also weighs in favor of a substantial award to deter counterfeiters like Defendants who are unwilling to cooperate with the justice system or end their unlawful conduct. For these reasons, Joyspring merits an award of damages about the statutory minimum. But maximum statutory damages are not warranted. The record reflects only a small number of 88 Disney Enters., Inc. v. VidAngel, Inc., No. 2:19-mc-00122, 2019 WL 1080880, at *1 (D. Utah Mar. 7, 2019) (quoting Prod. Partners, LLC v. Aucoin, No. CV 09-7504, 2011 WL 13190160, at n.2 (C.D. Cal. Jan. 12, 2011)). 89 Joyspring obtained this account information through discovery from Amazon, but it was unable to obtain similar sales information for Defendant ZMDRT. See Mot. for Default J. 18. 90 Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, The Worldâs Largest Retailers 2025: Amazon Tops List of Global Retailers Ahead of Tariff Impact, FORBES (June 12, 2025), https://www.forbes.com/sites/mariagraciasantillanalinares/2025/06/12/the-worlds-largest-retailers-2025-amazon- tops-list-of-global-retailers-ahead-of-tariff-impact/ [https://perma.cc/Y784-YMTN]. 91 Malluk v. Berkeley Highlands Prods., LLC, 611 F. Supp. 3d 1134, 1140 (D. Colo. Mar. 3, 2020); see also Girlsongs v. 609 Indus., Inc., 625 F. Supp. 2d 1127, 1130 (D. Colo. 2008) (â[A] rule of liability which merely takes away the profits from an infringement would offer little discouragement to infringers.â (quoting F.W. Woolworth Co. v. Contemporary Arts, Inc., 344 U.S. 228, 233 (1952)). 92 Mot. for Default J. 18. sales in the United States of a relatively inexpensive product.93 Granted, Cosy Tradingâs sales and profits are unknown, again due to Defendantsâ refusal to appear and defend. But even if the court were to assume that Cosy Trading made many times the amount of ZXJYDBT, it would still not warrant a $2,000,000 award. However, the totality of the above-mentioned factors supports significant damages, particularly the obvious willfulness of the violations and the dozens of false DMCA notices, which compound the fraud perpetuated here. It is this latter element, the false DMCA notices, that particularly warrant a high statutory damages figure. It is similar to stealing another personâs property, passing it off as your own, and then complaining to authorities that the victim is in fact the perpetrator. Consequently, the court finds Defendants jointly and severally liable for $1,000,000 in statutory damages.94 II. Permanent Injunction Joyspring requests a permanent injunction against further infringement by Defendants, arguing that an injunction is necessary to protect its valuable intellectual property rights because Defendants have committed willful infringement and refused to respond.95 âThe Lanham Act empowers the district court to grant injunctive relief âto prevent the violation of any right of the registrant of a mark.ââ96 A party seeking a permanent injunction must make four showings: â(1) actual success on the merits; (2) irreparable harm unless the injunction is issued; (3) the threatened injury outweighs the harm that the injunction may cause the opposing party; and (4) the injunction, if issued, will not adversely affect the public 93 Mot. for Default J. 18; Fee Decl. of Brian Platt, ECF No. 25, filed Aug. 11, 2025. 94 See Schieffelin & Co. v. Jack Co. of Boca, Inc., 725 F. Supp. 1314, 1318 n.2 (S.D.N.Y. 1989) (noting that âall persons and corporations who participate in, exercise control over, or benefit from a trademark infringement are jointly and severally liableâ). 95 Mot. for Default J. 22. 96 Hetronic, 99 F.4th at 1174 (quoting 15 U.S.C. § 1116(a)). interest.â97 The court âdoes not apply any presumptionâ in a plaintiffâs favor and all four elements must be established.98 Here, Joyspring has demonstrated Defendantsâ liability and established success on the merits. As to the second element, Joyspring contends that Defendantsâ infringement causes irreparable harm.99 In the Tenth Circuit, âa plaintiff satisfies the irreparable harm requirement by demonstrating âa significant risk that he or she will experience harm that cannot be compensated after the fact by monetary damages.ââ100 Irreparable harm may include the âloss of goodwill or competitive market position.â101 Joyspring has proved irreparable harm. Defendantsâ refusal to defend and participate in discovery has hindered Joyspringâs efforts to ascertain complete numbers of counterfeit sales, but lack of precision is not fatal.102 Instead, Joyspringâs loss of goodwill and customers from Defendantsâ counterfeit advertising and products forms the warp and weft of this element. Therefore, Joyspring has established irreparable harm absent an injunction. As to the final two elements, there is no hardship to Defendants âbecause a permanent injunction will merely prevent Defendants from engaging in further unlawful activity.â103 âProducing and selling counterfeit goods is illegal. There can be no cognizable harm to the 97 United States v. Uintah Valley Shoshone Tribe, 946 F.3d 1216, 1222 (10th Cir. 2020) (quoting Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation v. Wagnon, 476 F.3d 818, 822 (10th Cir. 2007)); see also Klein-Becker USA, LLC v. Englert, 711 F.3d 1153, 1164 (10th Cir. 2013) (affirming application of the four-factor test for preliminary injunction for trademark infringement). 98 Minden Pictures, 2023 WL 2243177, at *5. 99 Mot. for Default J. 15. 100 RoDa Drilling Co. v. Siegal, 552 F.3d 1203, 1210 (10th Cir. 2009) (quoting Greater Yellowstone Coal. v. Flowers, 321 F.3d 1250, 1258 (10th Cir. 2003)). 101 Dominion Video Satellite, Inc. v. Echostar Satellite Corp., 356 F.3d 1256, 1264 (10th Cir. 2004). 102 Sw. Stainless, LP v. Sappington, 582 F.3d 1176, 1191 (10th Cir. 2009) (âA district court may find irreparable harm âbased upon evidence suggesting that it is impossible to precisely calculate the amount of damage plaintiff will suffer.ââ) (quoting Equifax Servs., Inc. v. Hitz, 905 F.2d 1355, 1361 (10th Cir. 1990)). 103 DP Creations, LLC v. Reborn Baby Mart, 2:21-cv-00574, 2022 WL 3108232, at *8 (D. Utah Aug. 3, 2022). Defendants by the issuance of an order requiring them not to break the law.â104 Relatedly, a permanent injunction will not negatively affect public interest.105 Rather, such an injunction will protect not only Joyspring but also potential customers. Furthermore, Defendantsâ âlack of participation in this litigation has given the court no assurance that defendantâs infringing activity will cease.â 106 For these reasons, the court grants Joyspringâs request for a permanent injunction against Defendants. III. Attorneysâ Fees and Costs Joyspring requests an award of its attorneysâ fees and costs in the amount of $31,549.50.107 The Lanham Act gives trial courts discretion to award reasonable attorney fees and âthe costs of the actionâ to the prevailing party in âexceptional cases.â108 Although the Lanham Act does not define âexceptional,â the Tenth Circuit has âdetermined it occurs when a trademark infringement is malicious, fraudulent, deliberate, or willful.â109 More recently, the Supreme Court addressed the Patent Actâs identical âexceptional caseâ provision and concluded that an exceptional case is âsimply one that stands out from others with respect to the substantive strength of a partyâs litigating position (considering both the governing law and facts of the case) or the unreasonable manner in which the case was litigated.â110 âDistrict courts may determine 104 Klein-Becker USA, LLC v. Tahini, No. 2:07-cv521, 2008 WL 11340043, at *3 (D. Utah Aug. 15, 2008). 105 See Englert, 711 F.3d at 1164 (affirming that an injunction to prevent further infringement would not âadversely affect[] the public interestâ). 106 Jackson, 255 F. Supp. 2d at 1103; Your True Nature, Inc. v. JF Show Store, 1:23-cv-00107, 2024 WL 3340974, at *4 (D. Colo. June 21, 2024), affâd, 711 F.3d 1153 (10th Cir. 2013). 107 Id. at 20â21. 108 See 15 U.S.C. § 1117(a). 109 United Phosphorus, Ltd. v. Midland Fumigant, Inc., 205 F.3d 1219, 1232 (10th Cir. 2000). 110 Octane Fitness, LLC v. ICON Health & Fitness, Inc., 572 U.S. 545, 554 (2014); see also Sleepyâs LLC v. Select Comfort Wholesale Corp., 909 F.3d 519, 530â31 (2d Cir. 2018) (extending Octane Fitness to attorneysâ fees determinations under the Lanham Act). whether a case is âexceptionalâ in the case-by-case exercise of their discretion, considering the totality of the circumstances.â111 Here, the court concludes that an award of attorneysâ fees and costs is warranted because of Defendantsâ âfraudulent, deliberate, and willfulâ infringement, their âunreasonableâ nonparticipation in litigation, and their filing of fraudulent DMCA notices.112 Defendantsâ blatant copying of Joyspringâs trademark and listings merit an award of attorney fees to deter Defendants from such willful conduct. Having reviewed the attorneys and costs submissions, the court finds them reasonable. Therefore, the court awards Joyspring $31,549.50 in attorneysâ fees and costs. ORDER Accordingly, the court GRANTS Joyspringâs Motion for Default Judgment as follows: (1) The court ENTERS default judgment against Defendants and AWARDS Joyspring statutory damages of $1,000,000 against Defendants, jointly and severally. (2) The court GRANTS Joyspringâs request for a permanent injunction against Defendants. (3) The court AWARDS Joyspring attorneysâ fees and costs of $31,549.50 against Defendants, jointly and severally.113 111 Octane Fitness, 572 U.S. at 554. 112 United Phosphorus, 205 F.3d at 1232; Octane Fitness, 572 U.S. at 554; see also Chanel, Inc. v. Gordashevsky, 558 F. Supp. 2d 532, 539 (D.N.J. 2008) (holding that willfulness is sufficient to make a case âexceptionalâ). 113 ECF No. 24. Signed October 30, 2025. BY THE COURT David Barlow United States District Judge 2]
Case Information
- Court
- D. Utah
- Decision Date
- October 30, 2025
- Status
- Precedential