The salient facts contained in the petition demonstrate that the petitioner was incorporated under the name “ Dunkin’ Donuts of America, Inc.” in the State of Massachusetts and that it filed its trade mark therein and thereafter in the States of Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey and in New York State on November 21, 1957, in compliance with article 24 of the General Business Law of the State of New York, receiving from the Secretary of State a certificate which is. known as Exhibit “ C ” in the record. The name signifies the purpose of the corporation and the trade name was primarily for the sale of doughnuts. Petitioner developed a box and paper bag of unusual design for the sale of its product, containing such descriptions as “ 52 Delicious Varieties ” and “ The Donut With A Handle On It ”. It is further shown that the petitioner had stores in the States designated above and the filing of the trade mark in New York State in 1957 was in anticipation of a sales campaign to start business in this State. This is further demonstrated by an advertisement in the Albany Times-Union on December 12,1957, offering franchises to people interested in investing in the business.
The appellants incorporated under corporate appellant’s name in New York State on April 17, 1958 — four. months following the Times-Union advertisement for franchises — and in the answering affidavits of the appellants the only explanation for the similarity of names is offered by one Stanley Uzdavinis, the president of the corporation, formerly from Lynn, Massachusetts, admittedly familiar with the name and business of the petitioner. In a conference with his partner prior to
To invoke the summary judgment, without trial, under section 964 of the Penal Law, the evidence of the petitioner must be clear and convincing and not substantially controverted by way of answer or reply. It is similar to the requirements of rule 113 of the Buies of Civil Practice entitled “ Summary judgment ”.
The statute provides in part “No * * * corporation shall, with intent ¡to deceive or mislead the public, assume, adopt or use as * * * a corporate, assumed or trade name, for advertising purposes or for the purposes of trade or for any other purpose, any name * * * or any symbol or simulation * * * or a part of any name * * * which may deceive or mislead the public as to the identity of such * * * corporation or as to the connection of * * * corporation * * * with any other person, firm or corporation ”.
We are not concerned with the criminal aspect of the statute.
While it would appear that 'the intent of the statute is for the protection of the public, the Court of Appeals has indicated it may be used as a summary remedy for unfair competition and for trade-mark infringements for the protection of a private property interest as well as the public generally. In Matter of Playland Corp. v. Playland Center (1 N Y 2d 300) where there
The word “Donut” alone might well be descriptive of the type of business and therefore available to the public but the combining of the words “ Dunkin’ Donuts ” and the corporate name adopted by the appellants hás such a similarity— phonetic spelling and pronounoiation — that the inescapable conclusion is that the appellants were attempting to deceive the public and do irreparable damage to the petitioner. The coinage of the words is patently a trade name and so designated by the proper authorities of the State of New York.
Appellants further contend that the name has acquired no “■secondary meaning” in the Capital District area as to petitioner. Such proof is not essential to the success of a motion under the section herein. It is important to again note that petitioner had taken affirmative action to introduce the name in the area, of which the appellants had knowledge. The mere fact that another uses the same name in the same general area and in the same business certainly creates a probability of deception without having to decide who has, if anyone, a prop
Appellants make a further issue that the petitioner, a foreign corporation, not qualified at the time to do business in New York, i-s barred from invoking the jurisdiction of our courts under section 218 of the General Corporation Law. That section is limited strictly to an action of contract and not controlling herein. Neither is the fact that appellants have filed a certificate of incorporation a defense. (Pansy Waist Co., v. Pansy Dress Co., 203 App. Div. 585; Hoevel Sandblast Mach. Co. v. Hoevel, 167 App. Div. 548, 549; National Tool Salvage Co. v. National Tool Salvage Industries, 186 Misc. 833.)
While the relief granted herein is harsh and severe, it contemplates such situation as here present.
The order should be affirmed.
Foster, P. J., Bbrgan, Coon and Reynolds, JJ., concur.
Order affirmed, with $10 costs.
