In the United States, the basis of trademark protection is use of the mark in commerce. A mark does not have to be registered with any branch of any government to be protect-able in an infringement suit. See 15 U.S.C.A. § 1125(a); Lanham Act § 43(a). However, registration on the principle register of the U.S.P.T.O. is quite valuable. In contrast, registration in one or more states' registers is of little value. Registration on the supplemental register of the U.S.P.T.O. does not provide the protections accorded marks on the principle register. In general, most sources, including this Treatise, use "registered" as shorthand for "registered on the principle register of the U.S.P.T.O."
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