Indiana Intellectual Property Law News
A trademark dispute over the name “JD Sports” has reached federal court in Indiana. The Finish Line, Inc., which does business as JD Sports, along with its parent company JD Sports Fashion Plc, is asking the court to declare that its use of the JD Sports name does not infringe on the rights of J.D. Sport LLC, a Pennsylvania company.
JD Sports Fashion Plc, based in the United Kingdom, operates thousands of stores worldwide and more than 300 in the United States. It holds several federal trademark registrations for “JD” and “JD Sports,” some classified as incontestable under U.S. law. The company states it has used these marks in the U.S. for years, first through online sales and later through physical stores, including several in Pennsylvania.
J.D. Sport LLC, founded in 1989 in Pennsylvania, operates a single store that provides custom embroidery, screen printing, and team apparel for local schools and organizations. The business does not have federal trademark registrations and instead relies on common law rights tied to its local use of the “J.D. Sport” name.
The dispute arose in 2025 when J.D. Sport sent letters to JD Sports Fashion alleging consumer confusion and demanding that the company stop using the JD Sports name nationwide. JD Sports Fashion denied the allegations, citing its federal trademark rights and differences between the businesses.
After additional correspondence and threats of legal action, JD Sports Fashion filed its lawsuit. The company is asking the court to confirm that its use of the JD Sports name does not amount to trademark infringement or unfair competition, to limit any rights held by J.D. Sport to its local area, and to consider whether delays in raising the claims prevent them from being enforced.
The case has been assigned to Judge James Patrick Hanlon and Magistrate Judge Crystal S. Wildeman in the U.S. District Court of Southern Indiana Case No. 1:25-cv-01424.