About six months ago, we wrote a blog post about the wild story regarding Yosemite National Park. The name, as well as the names of may different locations, buildings and other landmarks, was under legal challenge by Delaware North, a company that trademarked “Yosemite National Park” and laid claim to a number of other titles. The case was being challenged by both sides.
But the story doesn’t end there. A new twist in the tale has seen the new concession company for Yosemite National Park thrown into the legal fracas. Officials are determining if the company, Aramark, should be a part of the lawsuit. Delaware North says no; the Justice Department says yes. Now, it goes to court.
While this latest update to the story, there isn’t necessarily a new intellectual property angle. There is a new contract dispute angle to the story, but even that is just adding another company to the complex mess. The real lesson in this story, however, is how quickly legal action or a lawsuit can evolve into a convoluted web of litigation. This is the crucial takeaway for businesses, inventors and other parties who are looking to patent or trademark their work, or to remedy a contract dispute.
Preparing for this complicated start to legal action is important because it will help you manage your expectations and alleviate some of the stress and anxiety that can accompany interested parties that are involved in the lawsuit.
Source: McClatchyDC, “Another tangle confronts judge in Yosemite National Park trademarked names fight,” Michael Doyle, Sept. 28, 2016