Two Pesos, Inc. v. Taco Cabana, Inc.

Two Pesos, Inc. v. Taco Cabana, Inc.
Argued April 21, 1992
Decided June 26, 1992
Full case nameTwo Pesos, Inc., Petitioner v. Taco Cabana, Inc.
Citations505 U.S. 763 (more)
112 S.Ct. 2753; 120 L. Ed. 2d 615; 1992 U.S. LEXIS 4533
Case history
PriorTaco Cabana Int'l, Inc. v. Two Pesos, Inc., 932 F.2d 1113 (5th Cir. 1991)
Holding
Proof of secondary meaning is not required to prevail on a claim under § 43(a) of the Lanham Act where a trade dress at issue is inherently distinctive
Court membership
Chief Justice
William Rehnquist
Associate Justices
Byron White · Harry Blackmun
John P. Stevens · Sandra Day O'Connor
Antonin Scalia · Anthony Kennedy
David Souter · Clarence Thomas
Case opinions
MajorityWhite, joined by Rehnquist, Blackmun, O'Connor, Scalia, Kennedy, Souter
ConcurrenceScalia
ConcurrenceStevens (in judgment)
ConcurrenceThomas (in judgment)
Laws applied
Lanham Act

Two Pesos, Inc. v. Taco Cabana, Inc., 505 U.S. 763 (1992), was a United States Supreme Court case where the Court held that Two Pesos, Inc. infringed upon the trademark of Taco Cabana, Inc. by copying the design of their restaurants. Writing for a majority of the court, Justice Byron White concluded that trade dress is inherently distinctive under the Lanham Act and that plaintiffs are not required to prove secondary meaning in suits to protect their trademark. The Court upheld an award of $3.7 million in damages, and Taco Cabana ultimately acquired all of Two Pesos' assets in 1993 for $22 million.