A federal judge has ruled in favor of Moen in a patent infringement lawsuit against manufacturers of imported bathroom faucets, according to a statement from Moen.

The manufacturer filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission in May 1999 against five companies for infringing upon its patented Monticello faucet design. One agreed to stop importing its product; two agreed to stop selling their faucets in the United States after April 1, 2000. The other two companies did not agree to stop their import activities and were named in the complaint to the ITC, Moen said.

The judge has recommended that the ITC impose a general exclusion order that the U.S. Customs Service prevent Monticello-copied faucets from all foreign sources from entering the United States, Moen said.