warrior v. performance lacrosse - complaint

8/10/2019 Warrior v. Performance Lacrosse - Complaint

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN

WARRIOR SPORTS, INC.,

a Michigan corporation, Case No.

Plaintiff, Hon.v.

COMPLAINTPERFORMANCE LACROSSE

GROUP INC., d/b/a MAVERIK JURY TRIAL REQUESTEDLACROSSE, a Delaware corporation,

Defendant.

___________________________________________/

Plaintiff Warrior Sports, Inc. brings its Complaint against Defendant

Performance Lacrosse Group Inc., d/b/a Maverik Lacrosse, stating as follows:

The Parties

1. Plaintiff Warrior Sports, Inc. (Warrior) is a Michigan corporation

having its principal place of business in Warren, Michigan. Warrior is a sports

equipment manufacturer that manufactures and sells, among other things, lacrosse

heads.

2.

Upon information and belief, Defendant Performance Lacrosse Group

Inc., d/b/a Maverik Lacrosse (Maverik) is a Delaware corporation, with a

principal place of business at 535 West 24th Street, 5th Floor, New York, New

York 10011-1140. Maverik is also a sports equipment manufacturer who

manufactures and sells, among other things, lacrosse heads.

2:14-cv-14608-LVP-DRG Doc # 1 Filed 12/05/14 Pg 1 of 5 Pg ID 1


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Jurisdiction and Venue

3. This is an action for patent infringement under the Patent Act, 35

U.S.C. 101 et seq.

4. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. 1331

and 1338(a), as this action arises under the patent laws of the United States.

5. Upon information and belief, Maverik makes, sells, and offers for sale

lacrosse heads throughout the United States and has systematic and continuous

dealings within this District.

6. Venue is proper in this District under 28 U.S.C. 1391 and 1400.

Allegations and Claim for Relief

7. For many years, Warrior has continuously engaged in the

development, manufacture, and sale of a wide variety of athletic products. As a

result, Warrior quickly bypassed other manufacturers and has become one of the

premiere sources of sports equipment. The athletic products at issue in this

litigation are lacrosse heads.

8.

Warrior has taken steps over the years to protect its innovative sports

equipment, including lacrosse heads. In particular, Warrior is and has been the

sole owner by assignment of all right, title, and interest in United States Design

Patent No. D699798 (the 798 Patent), titled Lacrosse Head, issued February

18, 2014. (Exhibit 1.)



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9. At all times relevant to this litigation, Warrior has executed

appropriate patent marking in connection with products embodying the patented

invention, thus providing notice of the 798 Patent.

10. Warrior is entitled to sue for past, present, and future infringement of

the 798 Patent.

11. Maverik is in the business of manufacturing or having manufactured,

offering to sell, selling or importing into the United States various lacrosse

products, including lacrosse heads, in competition with major manufacturers,

including Warrior.

12. Maverik has, without authority or license from Warrior, made, used,

offered to sell, sold or imported into the United States lacrosse heads that are

covered by the 798 Patent. The infringing lacrosse heads include, but are not

limited to, the Tank lacrosse head. (Exhibit 2.)

13. Maverik sells the Tank lacrosse head throughout the United States and

within this District. Specifically, but without limitation, Maveriks website,

maveriklacrosse.com, includes a dealer locator that identifies local retailers that

market, offer to sell, and sell the Tank lacrosse head. These retailers include a

number of online retailers, including Lacrosse Monkey (lacrossemonkey.com),

LAX World (laxworld.com), Sport Stop (sportstop.com) and Universal Lacrosse



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(universallacrosse.com), as well as other retailers that sell online and through

physical stores, such as Dicks Sporting Goods, a national sporting goods retailer.

14. Upon information and belief, Maverik expressly authorizes and

continues to authorize the sale of the Tank lacrosse heads.

COUNT I: Infringement of the 798 Patent by Maverik

15. Warrior incorporates by reference all preceding paragraphs.

16. Warrior is the owner by assignment of all right, title, and interest in

and to the 798 Patent.

17. Maverik has been and still is making, using, offering to sell, selling or

importing into the United States lacrosse heads, including, but not limited to, the

Tank lacrosse head, which infringe the 798 Patent in violation of 35 U.S.C.

271(a).

18.

Maveriks continued infringement of the 798 Patent has damaged and

will continue to damage Warrior.

19. By reason of Maveriks infringement of the 798 Patent, Warrior has

been irreparably harmed, and unless and until Maverik is enjoined by this Court,

Warrior will continue to suffer irreparable damage and injury for which it has no

adequate remedy at law.

WHEREFORE, Warrior respectfully requests the following relief:



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A. Judgment that Maverik has infringed and actively induced others to

infringe the 798 Patent;

B. A permanent injunction enjoining Maverik, its officers, employees,

agents, and all others acting in concert with it or participating with it from further

infringement and/or inducement of infringement of the 798 Patent;

C. An award of damages adequate to compensate Warrior for Maveriks

infringement, but in no event less than Warriors actual profits as provided under

35 U.S.C. 289 or a reasonable royalty under 35 U.S.C. 284;

D. Enter an order awarding Warrior interest on the damages awarded and

its costs pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 284, 289; and,

E. Award such other relief as the Court may deem appropriate and just

under the circumstances.

DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL

Warrior demands a trial by jury.

Respectfully submitted,

Dated: December 4, 2014 By: /s/ R. Michael Azzi

Douglas A. Dozeman (P35781)Janet Ramsey (P63285)

Homayune Ghaussi (P63028)

R. Michael Azzi (P74508)

Attorneys for Plaintiff Warrior Sports, Inc.11757376.2



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2:14-cv-14608-LVP-DRG Doc # 1-1 Filed 12/05/14 Pg 1 of 8 Pg ID 6

EXHIBIT 1


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1 2 ) United

States

Design Patent 1 0 )

P a t e n t N o . :

P a q u e t t e e t

a 1 .

USO0D699798S

US

D 6 9 9 , 7 9 8

S

4 5 ) Date o f P a t e n t : * 9 :

Feb. 1 8 ,

2014

5 4 )

7 5 )

7 3 )

* * )

2 1 )

2 2 )

5 1 )

5 2 )

5 8 )

5 6 )

LACROSSE

HEAD

I n v e n t o r s : Adam . P a q u e t t e , L e o m i n s t e r , MA

U S ) ;

Thomas

H .

B u r n s , R o y a l O a k ,

MI

U s )

A s s i g n e e :

W a r r i o r S p o r t s ,

I n c . ,

W a r r e n , MI U S )

Term: 14 Years

A p p l .

N o . : 2 9 / 4 3 0 , 3 4 7

F i l e d :

A u g .

2 4 ,

2 0 1 2

LOC

10)

Cl.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-02

U S . C l .

USPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. D21/753

F i e l d o f

C l a s s i ? c a t i o n

Search

USPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D21/724, 753; 473/505i5l5

S e e

a p p l i c a t i o n ? l e

f o r

c o m p l e t e

s e a r c h

h i s t o r y .

Refer ences Cited

U . S .

PATENT DOCUMENTS

5,865,694

A 2/1999 Duong-Van . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

473/5 20

7,282,000 B2 10/2007 Brine et a 1 . .. 473/513

7,749,113

B2 7/2010

Morrow

t

a 1 . 473/513

8 052 549

B2

11/2011 Sykora . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 473/513

OTHER UBLICATIONS

B r i n e

C l u t c h

A d m i t t e d P r i o r A r t ) .

W a r r i o r R e v o

A d m i t t e d

P r i o r A r t ) .

*

c i t e d b y

examiner

Prima ry Examiner i t c h e l l S i e g e l

7 4 ) A t t o r n e y , A g e n t ,

o r

Firm

*

arner

Norcross

udd

LLP

5 7 )

CLAIM

The

o r n a m e n t a l

d e s i g n

f o r l a c r o s s e h e a d , a s

shoWn

a n d

d e s c r i b e d .

DESCRIPTION

F I G . 1 i s a r e a r bottom

e r s p e c t i v e

vieW

of h e l a c r o s s e

head

embodying t h e neW d e s i g n ;

F I G . 2 i s an

e n l a r g e d vieW

o f t h e

l a c r o s s e head o f

F I G .

1 ;

F I G . 3 i s a

bottom

vieW

of

h e l a c r o s s e h e a d ;

F I G . 4 i s a

t o p

vieW t h e r e o f ;

F I G .

5 i s

a r i g h t

s i d e

p e r s p e c t i v e v i e W o f h e l a c r o s s e h e a d , t h e

l e f t s i d e p e r s p e c t i v e

v i e W

b e i n g a m i r r o r

i m a g e

t h e r e o f ;

F I G .

6

i s

a

f r o n t

vieW t h e r e o f ;

F I G .

7

i s

an e n l a r g e d r e a r bottom e r s p e c t i v e vieW t h e r e o f ;

FIG. 8 i s

a

r e a r bottom e r s p e c t i v e vieW of

? r s t a l t e r n a t i v e

e m b o d i m e n t

o f

t h e l a c r o s s e h e a d ; a n d ,

F I G .

9

i s an

e n l a r g e d

r e a r bottom p e r s p e c t i v e vieW o f t h e

l a c r o s s e head

o f

F I G . 8 .

FIGS. 1 - 9

shoW

f e a t u r e s o f

a l a c r o s s e

head n

phantom

i n e s .

These f e a t u r e s

a r e shoWn

o r

e n v i r o n m e n t al p u r p o s e s

and

do

n o t f o r m a n y p a r t o f h e c l a i m e d

d e s i g n .

The l a i m e d f e a t u r e s

o f t h e l a c r o s s e head i n s o l i d l i n es

r e p r e s e n t

t h e

o u t e r m o s t

b o u n d a r y

o f h e l a c r o s s e

h e a d

i n t h e s o l i d

l i n e

l o c a t i o n s When

t h e l a c r o s s e

h e a d i s

viewed

f r o m

t h e p e r s p e c t i v e s o f F I G S .

1 - 9 .

1 C l a i m , 6 Drawing S h e e t s



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U Patent F e b . 1 8 , 2 0 1 4 S h e e t 1 o f 6 US

D699,798

S



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U . Patent

F e b .

1 8 ,

2 0 1 4

S h e e t

2

o f 6

US D699,798

S



10/15

U . Patent

F e b .

1 8 ,

2 0 1 4

S h e e t

3

o f 6

US D699,798

S



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U . Patent

F e b .

1 8 ,

2 0 1 4

S h e e t 4 o f 6

US D699,798

S



12/15

U . Patent

F e b .

1 8 , 2 0 1 4 S h e e t

5

o f 6

US D699,798

S



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US. Patent

F e b . 1 8 , 2 0 1 4

S h e e t

6

o f 6

US D699,798 S



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EXHIBIT 2


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Maverik Tank Lacrosse Head


warrior v. performance lacrosse - complaint

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