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1
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2026-04-01 |
COMPLAINT filed by Zhiyong Chen; Filing fee $ 405, receipt number AILNDC-24924577. |
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Exhibit |
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(Exhibit) |
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2
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2026-04-01 |
ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiff Zhiyong Chen by Qin Zhuang |
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3
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2026-04-01 |
CIVIL Cover Sheet |
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4
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2026-04-01 |
ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiff Zhiyong Chen by Qin Zhuang |
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5
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2026-04-01 |
MOTION by Plaintiff Zhiyong Chen to seal document complaint 1 Motion for Leave to File under Seal |
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6
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2026-04-01 |
SEALED EXHIBIT by Plaintiff Zhiyong Chen regarding complaint 1 (Main Document 6 replaced on 4/3/2026). |
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7
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2026-04-01 |
SEALED EXHIBIT by Plaintiff Zhiyong Chen regarding complaint 1 (Main Document 7 replaced on 4/3/2026). |
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8
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2026-04-01 |
SEALED EXHIBIT by Plaintiff Zhiyong Chen regarding complaint 1 (Main Document 8 replaced on 4/3/2026). |
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CASE ASSIGNED to the Honorable LaShonda A. Hunt. Designated as Magistrate Judge the Honorable Albert Berry, III. Case assignment: Random assignment. (Civil Category 2). |
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CLERK'S NOTICE: Pursuant to Local Rule 73.1(b), a United States Magistrate Judge of this court is available to conduct all proceedings in this civil action. If all parties consent to have the currently assigned United States Magistrate Judge conduct all proceedings in this case, including trial, the entry of final judgment, and all post-trial proceedings, all parties must sign their names on the attached Consent To form. This consent form is eligible for filing only if executed by all parties. The parties can also express their consent to jurisdiction by a magistrate judge in any joint filing, including the Joint Initial Status Report or proposed Case Management Order. |
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9
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2026-04-02 |
MINUTE entry before the Honorable LaShonda A. Hunt: This case has been assigned to Judge LaShonda A. Hunt. Upon review of the trademark infringement complaint and other filings, the Court questions whether Plaintiff has established sufficient grounds for joinder of all 138 defendants under Fed. R. Civ. P. 20. See Viking Arm AS v. P'ships & Unincorporated Ass'ns Identified on Schedule A, No. 24 C 1566, 2024 WL 2953105 (N.D. Ill. June 6, 2024). Indeed, Plaintiff filed a form complaint with generic allegations about coordinated counterfeiting activity between 138 defendants without any details whatsoever, which arguably violates the requirements of Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 8 and 10. The Court also questions whether Plaintiff has shown that the Court can exercise personal jurisdiction over the defendants. To establish personal jurisdiction, Plaintiff must sufficiently allege that the defendants actually sold the allegedly infringing product to a customer in Illinois. See Liu v. Monthly, No. 25-2074, 2026 WL 880018, at *1 (7th Cir. Mar. 31, 2026) (citing Curry v. Revolution Lab'ys, LLC, 949 F.3d 385, 400 (7th Cir. 2020)). Finally, Plaintiff has not established good cause under Local Rule 26.2 or Seventh Circuit precedent to justify sealing Plaintiff's trademark registration, the names of defendants, or documents pertaining to alleged infringing activity. "Secrecy makes little sense if the goal of the litigation is to protect rightsholders' IP interests by obtaining an injunction against defendants' sales of infringing or counterfeit goods." See Eicher Motors Ltd. v. P'ships & Unincorporated Ass'ns Identified on Schedule "A", 794 F. Supp. 3d 543, 552 (N.D. Ill. 2025). More importantly, this presumption of sealing runs counter to the well-established authority of this Circuit holding that "[m]any a litigant would prefer that the subject of the case. be kept from the curious (including its business rivals and customers), but the tradition that litigation is open to the public is of very long standing." See Union Oil Co. of Cal. v. Leavell, 220 F.3d 562, 567-568 (7th Cir. 2000). For these reasons, the motion for leave to file under seal 5 is denied. The Clerk of Court is directed to unseal the documents filed at 6 7 8. By 4/9/26, Plaintiff must file either a memorandum explaining why joinder and personal jurisdiction are proper, or an amended complaint specifically naming and identifying each defendant being sued and setting forth with more than conclusory statements the alleged infringing activity and grounds for personal jurisdiction. Failure to do so will result in the current complaint being dismissed without prejudice and this case being closed. Mailed notice (gel,) |