TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The state’s highest court is ruling that Florida’s main online school can sue over trademark infringement.
The Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the state-created Florida Virtual School can sue Virginia-based K12 on its own.
Florida Virtual School first sued K12 in 2011. The lawsuit contended that the company caused confusion by setting up online education programs with similar names and a similar appearance to the state-run school.
But K12 attorneys asserted that only the Department of State could sue to enforce state-held trademarks not the school itself. A federal appeals court asked the state Supreme Court for its opinion on the dispute.
The court ruled unanimously that state law makes it clear that Florida Virtual School is structured in a way so that it can defend its trademarks.
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