Appearances matter. As clichė as it is, that idea came to mind when I learned two U.S. District Court judges had last week denied motions by Just Born, Inc. and Ferrara Candy Co. to dismiss separate theater-box slack-fill lawsuits brought against the candy companies this year.

When you mess with the proverbial bull, you’re going to get the proverbial horns. And that’s exactly what a suburban Chicago company got when Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. slapped it with a federal trademark infringement lawsuit last week.