Maine § 983. - Protection in use of name

§ 983.. Protection in use of name

No person, society, association or corporation shall assume, adopt or use the name of a benevolent, humane, fraternal or charitable organization incorporated under the laws of this State, or any other state, or of the United States, or holding its charter or warrant under some recognized supreme grand body having authority to issue the same, or a name so nearly resembling the name of such incorporated or chartered organization as to be a colorable imitation thereof or calculated to deceive persons not members with respect to such organizations. In all cases where 2 or more such societies, associations, corporations or organizations claim the right to the same name, or to names substantially similar as above provided, the organization which was first organized and used the name, or first became incorporated under the laws of the United States or of any state, shall be entitled in this State to the prior and exclusive use of such name, and the rights of such societies, associations, corporations or organizations and of their individual members shall be fixed and determined accordingly. This section shall not apply to corporations organized under or governed by Title 13-B.   [PL 1977, c. 592, §11 (AMD).]