« AutoAdmit’s Owner Gets his Comeuppance | Main | Not guilty? Really? »
Matlock would be proud
Last November, Dustin told you about a dude who changed his name to Andy Griffith and then ran in a local sheriff’s election. He not only lost the election, but the former Mr. William Fenrick found himself stuck in a lawsuit filed by the real Andy Griffith, claiming trademark and copyright infringement, along with invasion of privacy.
Well a federal judge has now ruled that Griffith nee Fenrick didn’t cause any harm to the real Andy Griffith. The judge said there was no trademark violation since Griffith’s name wasn’t being used in connection with commercial activities but “to seek elective office, fundamental First Amendment protected speech.” And the judge he was suspect of the claim that Griffith’s reputation had really been injured by this: “[The] campaign attempted to take advantage of a connection to Sheriff Taylor’s honesty and ethical behavior - hardly connection which would suggest damage to plaintiff’s reputation.”
