TrafFix Devices, Inc. v. Marketing Displays, Inc., 532 U.S. 23 (2001), was a landmark United States Supreme Court decision in the field of trademark law.

[1] The plaintiff, Marketing Display, Inc., held patents (US 3662482 , US 3646696 ) for a two-spring design used to stabilize traffic signs in strong winds.

Following the expiration of the plaintiff's patents, the defendant, TrafFix Devices, Inc., started producing their own signs utilizing the same design.

[2] The plaintiff filed a lawsuit, alleging trade dress infringement based on the imitation of the distinctive design.

The central legal issue addressed by the courts was whether trade dress protection could be granted to a product that was previously covered by an expired patent.