MIAMI – A real estate firm is suing its competitors over claims they use a name similar to its own.
Melo Development Inc. and Carlos Ferreira Melo filed a complaint on March 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Melo Real Estate and Francisco Rodriguez, citing trademark infringement.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege they suffered and will continue to suffer irreparable harm to their goodwill and reputation until a decision is rendered in their favor. The plaintiffs holds Melo Real Estate LLC and Rodriguez responsible because the defendants allegedly advertised and promoted real estate services under the name Melo Real Estate in violation of the plaintiffs' rights to their federally registered Melo trademarks.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek an injunctive relief and to recover all damages, an order for defendants to immediately transfer to them the domain name www.melorealestate.com and any other domain names controlled by defendants that incorporate the term Melo, reasonable attorneys' fees and costs and any further relief as the court may find just. They are represented by David K. Friedland and Jaime Rich Vining of Friedland Vining PA in Coral Gables.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida Case number 1:16-cv-21038