Messing with Texas’ Trademark Contrary to popular belief, the phrase “Don’t Mess With Texas” wasn’t coined by Davy Crockett or Jim Bowie at the Alamo. Rather, it was created in 1986 as part of an anti-littering campaign by the Texas Department of Transportation. It’s also a registered trademark. Recently, some controversy has arisen over the authorized uses of the phrase. Read on to find out what the mess is all about.
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Black Flag and the Punk Rock Trademark Showdown
October 15, 2013
Black Flag and the Punk Rock Trademark Showdown Black Flag is one of the most well-known bands in the history of punk rock. Formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California, they toured and recorded relentlessly through 1986. Recently, two versions of the band (one called Black Flag, one called Flag) have been touring and have engaged in a legal battle over the rights to the band’s name and their famous logo (featured at left). A look at this dispute reveals an extensive list of trademark and music law questions.
Tattoo Copyright Update
October 8, 2013
Tattoo Copyright Update Last year, I wrote a blog post titled “Can Tattoos Be Copyrighted?” The issue arose due to a lawsuit between Warner Brothers, the distributors of The Hangover Part II, and S. Victor Whitmill, the artist who created Mike Tyson’s famous facial tattoo. In the movie, Ed Helms’ character wakes up with an identical tattoo. The lawsuit was eventually settled, of course, and the terms of the settlement were not disclosed, of course. But the case brought the issue of tattoo copyrights to the public consciousness. The issue continues to develop, so I felt it was time to…
Listing on “Dirtiest Hotels in America” Defamatory?
October 1, 2013
Listing on “Dirtiest Hotels in America” Defamatory? The Internet is full of sites that allow users to review, compare, and evaluate all sorts of products and services. One such that that I’m particularly fond of is TripAdvisor, which bills itself as offering “[u]nbiased hotel reviews, photos and travel advice for hotels and vacations.” But what happens if the reviews don’t go your way – can a hotel’s designation as the “Dirtiest Hotel in America” be the basis of a defamation lawsuit?
