Billfloat Inc. v. Collins Cash Inc.

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

BILLFLOAT INC., DBA SmartBiz Nos. 23-15405 Loans, a Delaware corporation, 23-15470

Plaintiff-Appellant / D.C. No.3:20-cv- Cross-Appellee, 09325-EMC v.

COLLINS CASH INC., DBA Smart OPINION Business Funding, a New York corporation; ABRAHAM COHEN,

Defendants-Appellees / Cross-Appellants.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of California Edward M. Chen, District Judge, Presiding

Argued and Submitted March 11, 2024 San Francisco, California

Filed July 1, 2024

Before: Sidney R. Thomas, M. Margaret McKeown, and Morgan Christen, Circuit Judges.

Opinion by Judge McKeown SUMMARY *

Lanham Act

The panel affirmed (1) the district court’s judgment, after a jury trial, in favor of the defendants in an action under the Lanham Act and (2) the district court’s order partially denying defendants’ motion for attorneys’ fees. BillFloat, Inc., the user of the “SmartBiz” trademark, alleged infringement by Collins Cash, Inc., the user of the “Smart Business Funding” mark and BillFloat’s former…