St. Vincent de Paul National Council trademark suit against Vincentian Cares removed to M.D. Fla.

The removal

The defendants filed a Notice of Removal on October 26, 2026, ECF No. 1, and the notice says all defendants joined in it. It removes the case it styles National Council of the United States, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Inc. et al. v. Vincentian Cares, Inc. et al., Case No. 26-005754-CI, from the Circuit Court for the Sixth Judicial Circuit in and for Pinellas County, Florida, to the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division, No. 8:26-cv-03242. The notice relies on 28 U.S.C. §§ 1441 and 1446. It asserts original jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1338 and 15 U.S.C. § 1121(a) over the federal trademark claims in Counts III and IV, under 15 U.S.C. §§ 1114(1) and 1125(a), and supplemental jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1367(a) over the remaining claims. It says plaintiffs commenced the state action on September 24, 2026, and that the first defendant served, Vincentian Cares Foundation Inc., was served on October 7, 2026.

The state complaint

The state complaint, attached to the notice as ECF No. 1-1 (29 pages), was e-filed in the Pinellas County circuit court on September 24, 2026. Plaintiffs are the National Council, a Delaware nonprofit corporation headquartered in Maryland Heights, Missouri, and William Condon as President of the South Pinellas District Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The corporate defendants are Vincentian Cares Inc. (formerly Society of St. Vincent de Paul South Pinellas, Inc., and St. Vincent de Paul CARES Inc.), which the complaint calls the Corporation, and five Florida nonprofit corporations: Vincentian Housing Corporation, Inc.; Vincentian Properties, Inc.; Vincentian Legal Services Inc.; SVDP CARES Inc.; and Vincentian Cares Foundation Inc. Four individuals are also sued individually. The complaint alleges that by severing its affiliation with the District Council, the Corporation lost the only chain of authorization under which it could use the Society's marks, and that it has kept using them, alongside the Foundation, without a license from the National Council.

The marks

The National Council alleges ownership of U.S. Registration No. 2,277,318 (SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL U.S.A. design mark; registered September 14, 1999), No. 4,574,794 (SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL word mark; registered July 29, 2014), No. 5,837,094 (ST. VINNIE'S word mark; registered August 20, 2019), and No. 8,432,609 (SVDP word mark; registered September 15, 2026), and common-law rights in related marks and trade names. USPTO TSDR lists each of the four registrations as live, registered, and active, with National Council of the United States, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Inc. as owner.

Counts and relief

Count I pleads unlawful termination of membership under Fla. Stat. § 617.0607. Count II pleads unauthorized corporate acts under Fla. Stat. § 617.0304. Count III pleads federal trademark infringement under 15 U.S.C. § 1114(1) by the National Council against Vincentian Cares Inc., the Foundation, and SVdP CARES Inc. (the "Infringing Entities"), and alleges, on information and belief, that the other corporate defendants also use the marks "to an extent that remains to be seen." Count III also alleges that the use constitutes counterfeiting, and Counts III and IV allege willfulness on information and belief. Count IV pleads unfair competition and false designation of origin under 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a) against the Infringing Entities. Count V pleads breach of fiduciary duty against four individual defendants. Count VI seeks an accounting and constructive trust against the corporate defendants. Across the prayers, plaintiffs seek declaratory relief on membership status, preliminary and permanent injunctions against mark use, damages including profits and, for Count III, statutory damages for alleged counterfeiting, attorneys' fees and costs under the Lanham Act for Counts III and IV, treble damages for Count IV, fiduciary damages, a constructive trust, an accounting from January 1, 2017, and related relief.

Docket activity

On the day of removal, the defendants filed Rule 7.1 and Local Rule 3.03 disclosure statements (ECF Nos. 2 to 11). On October 29, 2026, the docket shows further disclosure statements, notices of appearance and lead counsel designations, a patent and trademark report (ECF No. 17), and a case assignment entry. On November 2, 2026, the docket lists ECF No. 21 under the short description "Dismiss"; that filing is not available.