Geico announced that a federal judge ruled today that Googleunder certain circumstances was violating U.S. trademark law byletting advertisers attach their ads onto Web searches for theWashington-based insurer.

The ruling came from Judge Leonie Brinkema at U.S. DistrictCourt for Virginia's Eastern District in Alexandria. Google latelast year had lost a motion for summary judgment.

Judge Brinkema's latest ruling found Geico had established "alikelihood of confusions, and therefore a violation of the Lanham[trademark] Act, solely with regard to those sponsored links thatuse Geico's trademarks in their headings or text."

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