Monthly Archives: June 2011

The second time around appears to be a charm for potential Presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her daughter Bristol. The two already attempted to trademark their names once before, but the US Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) rejected their applications because they had failed to sign them. Details on registering and defending trademarks are available from a Los Angeles business litigation attorney. Sarah and Bristol refilled, and media sources report that there appear to be no hurdles to their applications this time. Once a person or entity files a trademark application, the USPTO sets a date by which others may challenge the trademark. Bristol’s deadline was June 10, and there were no challenges. Likewise, there were no challenges to Sarah’s application, as her deadline was June 17. The USPTO said that the two Palins should receive their trademarks about three months down the line. Their respective applications demonstrate how the…
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It might sound strange to hear about a father battling a company over the use of his son’s name and image, but this is the predicament that Michael Jackson’s father Joe finds himself in. Joe was close to entering into a deal with French fragrance creator Franck Rouas to create fragrances for men and women, “Jackson’s Tribute for Men” and “Jackson’s Legend for Women.” The deal went awry when the company that owns the rights to sell products under Michael’s name intervened. Bravado filed a lawsuit against Joe the day before the unveiling of the fragrances at a party in Las Vegas. The company describes Joe and Rouas as unlicensed distributors who were using the Michael Jackson trademark illegally. A Los Angeles litigation lawyer can provide celebrities guidance on trademark protections that are available. Bravado asked the court to ban the sale of the perfumes and sought $150,000 in damages…
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While celebrities are the ones most likely to have publicity rights surrounding their name or image, criminals also have a stake in the evolving arena of publicity rights law. Celebrities interested in protecting their publicity rights may wish to speak to a Los Angeles litigation attorney. The recently arrested “Barefoot Bandit” is one such criminal who could cash in on lucrative book or movie deals. Over the span of two years, 20 year-old Colton Harris-Moore was involved in a variety of burglaries involving stolen boats, planes and cars. Dubbed the “Barefoot Bandit,” Colton earned the nickname by committing some of his crimes barefoot. Authorities have linked Colton to numerous crimes, including the theft of five aircraft, a boat and two cars, as well as at least 100 burglaries of people’s homes in the Northwest region of the country. Police finally arrested him during the summer of 2010 in the Bahamas…
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