最高法院此判決乃九票一致意見,由Scalia大法官執筆。Scalia大法官對於當事人適格的問題,提出一個二原則的判斷方式。要判斷本案究竟Static Control是否具有當事人適格,先從保護利益範圍(zone of interests)加以判斷,然後再搭配相當因果關係(proximate cause)輔助判斷。
(1) 保護利益範圍
在判斷蘭哈姆法的保護利益範圍上,可從其立法目的來判斷。Scalia大法官提出,在蘭哈姆法的第45條(15 U.S.C. §1127)就規定了其立法理由。而該條立法理由大部分乃是跟商標保護有關,若跟不實廣告有關的,則是該條中提到了:「本法之目的是要管制聯邦管轄下之商業行為,…;保護參與企商業的人民對抗不公平競爭(to protect persons engaged in such commerce against unfair competition);….」因此,Scalia大法官認為,既然是要對抗不公平競爭,當然跟商譽、廠商現在或未來的銷售量均有關係。因此,從1125條(a)不實廣告條款的保護利益範圍來看,原告若要具有當事人適格,就必須主張其在商譽或銷售上的商業利益受到損害。相對地,消費者因本條中的行為而被欺騙,卻不是在本法的利益保護範圍內,若要提起訴訟,只能援引憲法第3條的事實上損害起訴,而非援引蘭哈姆法第1125條(a)的規定(註11)。
Lexmark Int'l, Inc. v. Static Control Components, Inc., 253 F. Supp. 2d 943, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3734 (E.D. Ky., 2003).
Lexmark Int'l, Inc. v. Static Control Components, Inc., 387 F.3d 522 (6th Cir. 2004).
Static Control Components, Inc. v. Lexmark Int'l, Inc., 487 F. Supp. 2d 830, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31445 (E.D. Ky., 2007).
Static Control Components, Inc. v. Lexmark Int'l, Inc., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 79805 (E.D. Ky., Oct. 3, 2008).
Quanta Computer, Inc. v. LG Electronics, Inc., 553 U.S. 617 (2008).
Static Control Components, Inc. v. Lexmark Int'l, Inc., 615 F. Supp. 2d 575, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29479 (E.D. Ky., 2009).
Static Control Components, Inc. v. Lexmark Int'l, Inc., 697 F.3d 387, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 18316 (6th Cir. Ky., 2012).
(1) Any person who, on or in connection with any goods or services, or any container for goods, uses in commerce any word, term, name, symbol, or device, or any combination thereof, or any false designation of origin, false or misleading description of fact, or false or misleading representation of fact, which--
"(A) …
"(B) in commercial advertising or promotion, misrepresents the nature, characteristics, qualities, or geographic origin of his or her or another person's goods, services, or commercial activities,
"shall be liable in a civil action by any person who believes that he or she is or is likely to be damaged by such act."
Lexmark Int'l, Inc. v. Static Control Components, Inc., 134 S. Ct. 1377, 1384(2014).