As NASCAR Sues Over Merch Trademarks Schedule A Defendants Nowhere to be Seen

As NASCAR Sues Over Merch Trademarks Schedule A Defendants Nowhere to be Seen by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE, June 30 – Across the US Federal court system there is a proliferation of "Schedule A" trademark cases. On June 30, Inner City Press covered one by NASCAR against a slew of defendant who did not make an appearance. Therefore, a single tweet, here. This complaint as filed contains redactions and photographs of allegedly counterfeit merchandise -- baseball caps, T-shirts, hats bearing the racing organization's marks. The defendants, scores of online storefronts with names like "BumeZent A," "Crongshop" and "Easylinkk," did not appear, In the related HMS Holdings' case, Judge Torres' June 3 TRO spelled it out: the unredacted complaint, the Schedule A defendant list, the exhibit "showing the Seller Aliases' infringement," and a declaration exhibit showing the plaintiff's efforts to verify defendants' addresses "shall be sealed and remain sealed until the Defendants' Accounts and the Defendants' Assets are restrained."  Both cases also illustrate how routine the mechanism has become. The NASCAR case was filed April 16; a sealing motion and TRO followed April 20; the preliminary injunction hearing was then continued at least twice -- June 5 and June 9 minute orders show "Continue" entries -- before a bond was posted June 17, an amended complaint and request for summons came in June 28, and Tuesday's hearing was finally set for June 30 at 11 a.m. The HMS Holdings case followed nearly the identical arc: filed May 27, sealed and TRO'd June 3, continued from a June 15 hearing date to June 29 "jointly with the related cases, 26 Civ. 3948, 26 Civ. 4291, and 26 Civ. 3111." NASCAR alone has filed at least six separate Schedule A actions in SDNY since April, case numbers 26-cvp2955, 3111, 3439, 3811, 3948, 4291 and 5428. HMS Holdings shows a similar pattern: 26-cv-3011, 3777, 4243, 4421 and 5432. The volume suggests an assembly-line approach to enforcement - Inner City Press will continue to monitor these cases, like many others. This case: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC v. The Individuals, Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, Partnerships, and Unincorporated Associations Identified on Schedule A, 26-cv-3111 (Torres) *** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron. Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.  Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com