National American University, which has campuses in several states, is suing a pornography site, claiming trademark violations and cyber piracy for its use of Naughty American University and the acronym NAU.

Dlorah Inc. filed the civil complaint in federal court in Rapid City, where the company is based, against La Touraine Inc., a corporation registered in Nevada with a San Diego business address.

The lawsuit seeks to prevent the use of the school's trademark and also asks a jury to award financial damages.

Dlorah has operated under the National American University and NAU names since 1997 and offers associate, bachelor's and master's degree programs on 16 campuses in South Dakota, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico and Texas. It also has distance learning courses over the Internet.

NAU has spent millions of dollars promoting its trademark names through advertising on various mediums, the lawsuit states.

But on Sept. 12, 2003, La Touraine registered a domain name and started offering pornographic and sexually explicit adult entertainment services under a Web site called Naughty American University.

On March 13, 2004, La Touraine began selling sexually explicit content with college and academic themes under a Web site named Fast Times at NAU. The company sought to trademark the name but abandoned the effort after Dlorah filed an opposition, according to the complaint and attached documents.

Both names are "nearly identical in sight, sound and commercial impression" to National American University and its acronym, the lawsuit states.

Besides making money off the names, La Touraine's use of them likely creates confusion among students, potential students, alumni and parents, and causes people not to seek the school's education services, it claims.

"These activities are likely to cause consumer confusion and harm Plaintiff's goodwill established in its National American University and NAU trademarks," it states.

A man contacted Thursday at La Touraine in San Diego said he did not want to comment. The company's lawyers have not yet filed responses to the complaint in court.

Dlorah's attorney did not immediately return a telephone call.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...n035603D96.DTL

Say what? Naughty America University sounds nothing at like North American Universisty to me other than the 'American/America University' part of course.

I guess this university cant get a government bailout so they went for the next best thing.

Regards,

Lee