New Kids on the Block v. News America Publishing, Inc. Case Brief
Why Top Law Students (And Those Aspiring to Be) Use LSD+ Briefs
Let's be real, law school is a marathon. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full case system is designed by Harvard Law School and MIT grads to match your pace: Quick summaries when you're slammed, detailed analysis when you need to go deep. Only LSD+ offers this kind of flexibility to genuinely fit your study flow.
Adaptive Case Views
Toggle between Flash, Standard, and Expanded. Get what you need, when you need it.
Exam-Ready IRAC Format
We deliver the precise structure professors look for in exam answers.
Complex Cases, Clarified
We break down dense legal reasoning into something digestible, helping you grasp core concepts.
Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: Newspapers used the “New Kids on the Block” trademark to conduct paid telephone polls about the band. The band sued for trademark infringement. The court found the use permissible, establishing the “nominative fair use” defense for using a mark to refer to the trademark owner’s product.
Legal Significance: This case established the three-part test for the nominative fair use defense in trademark law, allowing use of a mark to refer to the trademark holder’s product when the product is not otherwise readily identifiable, so long as the use is limited and does not suggest sponsorship.
New Kids on the Block v. News America Publishing, Inc. Law School Study Guide
Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.
Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
The popular musical group New Kids on the Block (Plaintiffs) had an extensive merchandising program, including over 500 licensed products and services, such as 900-number telephone lines for fans. Two newspapers, USA Today and The Star (Defendants), independently conducted polls asking readers to vote for their favorite member of the band. To vote, readers had to call a 900 number, incurring a per-call or per-minute charge that generated revenue for the newspapers. The poll announcements used the band’s name and likeness. The New Kids filed suit, alleging numerous claims including trademark infringement under the Lanham Act and state law, unfair competition, and commercial misappropriation. They argued that the newspapers’ use of their mark in a for-profit enterprise created a likelihood of confusion that the band sponsored or endorsed the polls, thereby competing directly with their own commercial ventures. The district court granted summary judgment for the defendants on First Amendment grounds. The Ninth Circuit chose to resolve the case on trademark law principles to avoid the constitutional question.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Does a commercial user commit trademark infringement by using another’s trademark to refer to the trademark holder’s own product for the purpose of a news-gathering poll, even when that poll generates revenue for the user?
No. The court affirmed summary judgment for the defendants, holding that their Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cil
IRAC Legal Analysis
Complete IRAC Analysis for Higher Grades
IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Does a commercial user commit trademark infringement by using another’s trademark to refer to the trademark holder’s own product for the purpose of a news-gathering poll, even when that poll generates revenue for the user?
Conclusion
This case established the nominative fair use doctrine as a crucial defense Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco la
Legal Rule
A commercial user is entitled to a nominative fair use defense for Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit
Legal Analysis
The court established and applied a new test for what it termed Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- Establishes the nominative fair use defense for using a trademark to