World Intellectual Property Review reports that “[t]he heirs to reggae singer Bob Marley’s estate have won an appeal in a long-fought intellectual property battle, meaning they can now stop a t-shirt maker from using the late star’s likeness without their permission.” The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld a district court ruling against clothing company A.V.E.L.A., holding that the company violated the Lanham Act by and Nevada state law because, in the Court’s words, “they (a) used Marley’s image (b) on their t-shirts and other merchandise, (c) in a manner likely to cause confusion as to plaintiffs’ sponsorship or approval of these t-shirts and other merchandise.” The Court awarded plaintiff Fifty-Six Hope Road Music, which is owned by Marley’s heirs and manages his rights, more than $2.5 million in damages, lost profits, and attorneys’ fees. Marley’s heirs filed the suit in 2008, but their appellate win shows that they were not waiting in vain, and they are no doubt jamming to a redemption song right about now. Satisfy your soul by reading the full article here, and the Court’s opinion here. Reposted from World Intellectual Property Review.

By Eddie Mallin [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.