Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73
§1118 Destruction of infringing articles
Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 22— - TRADEMARKS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 1118
Summary
The court may order the defendant to hand over and destroy any labels, signs, packages, ads, or other items in their possession that show a registered mark, or, for a violation under section 1125(a) or a willful violation under section 1125(c), the offending word, name, symbol, copy, or close imitation, and any plates, molds, matrices, or other tools used to make them. Anyone asking for destruction of items seized under section 1116(d) must give the U.S. attorney in that district ten days’ notice (less only for good cause). The U.S. attorney can ask for or join a hearing if the destruction might affect evidence of a federal crime.
Full Legal Text
Title 15, §1118
Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
In any action arising under this chapter, in which a violation of any right of the registrant of a mark registered in the Patent and Trademark Office, a violation under section 1125(a) of this title, or a willful violation under section 1125(c) of this title, shall have been established, the court may order that all labels, signs, prints, packages, wrappers, receptacles, and advertisements in the possession of the defendant, bearing the registered mark or, in the case of a violation of section 1125(a) of this title or a willful violation under section 1125(c) of this title, the word, term, name, symbol, device, combination thereof, designation, description, or representation that is the subject of the violation, or any reproduction, counterfeit, copy, or colorable imitation thereof, and all plates, molds, matrices, and other means of making the same, shall be delivered up and destroyed. The party seeking an order under this section for destruction of articles seized under section 1116(d) of this title shall give ten days’ notice to the United States attorney for the judicial district in which such order is sought (unless good cause is shown for lesser notice) and such United States attorney may, if such destruction may affect evidence of an offense against the United States, seek a hearing on such destruction or participate in any hearing otherwise to be held with respect to such destruction.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
Acts Feb. 20, 1905, ch. 592, § 20, 33 Stat. 729; Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 291, 36 Stat. 1167; June 25, 1936, ch. 804, 49 Stat. 1921.
Amendments
1999—Pub. L. 106–43, in first sentence, substituted “a violation under section 1125(a) of this title, or a willful violation under section 1125(c) of this title,” for “or a violation under section 1125(a) of this title,” and inserted “or a willful violation under section 1125(c) of this title” before “, the word,”. 1988—Pub. L. 100–667 inserted in first sentence “, or a violation under section 1125(a) of this title,” after “Office” and “or, in the case of a violation of section 1125(a) of this title, the word, term, name, symbol, device, combination thereof, designation, description, or representation that is the subject of the violation,” after “registered mark”. 1984—Pub. L. 98–473 inserted “The party seeking an order under this section for destruction of articles seized under section 1116(d) of this title shall give ten days’ notice to the United States attorney for the judicial district in which such order is sought (unless good cause is shown for lesser notice) and such United States attorney may, if such destruction may affect evidence of an offense against the United States, seek a hearing on such destruction or participate in any hearing otherwise to be held with respect to such destruction.” 1975—Pub. L. 93–596 substituted “Patent and Trademark Office” for “Patent Office”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1988 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–667 effective one year after Nov. 16, 1988, see section 136 of Pub. L. 100–667, set out as a note under section 1051 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1975 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 93–596 effective Jan. 2, 1975, see section 4 of Pub. L. 93–596, set out as a note under section 1111 of this title. Repeal and Effect on Existing RightsRepeal of inconsistent provisions, effect of this chapter on pending proceedings and existing registrations and rights under prior acts, see notes set out under section 1051 of this title.
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
For
Transfer of Functions
of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of Commerce, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of Commerce, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 5 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1263, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
15 U.S.C. § 1118
Title 15 — Commerce and Trade
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73