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Singer Buffett wins trademark settlement
11/28/2006 3:41 PM, Reuters
Singer Jimmy Buffett has settled his
trademark infringement suit against an online merchandise
retailer who agreed to stop selling Buffett-related items after
a brief stay in jail, the performer's lawyer said on Tuesday.
Buffett's suit, the latest in a long-running legal battle
that began in Nevada, had accused Robert Akard of Galveston,
Texas, of selling T-shirts, CDs and other Buffett-labeled items
over the Internet without the singer's permission.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Sam Kent ordered
Akard to shut down his Web site, www.underonehut.com, pending
the outcome of Buffett's lawsuit, and to account for how much
money was made from his online sales.
But at a hearing on the case on Monday, the judge found
Akard in violation of the restraining order, cited the retailer
for contempt of court and had him thrown in jail, according to
Erin Powers, a spokesman for Buffett's lawyer, Anthony Buzbee.
A few hours later, Akard reached an out-of-court settlement
with the entertainer, promising not to sell Buffett-labeled
items in the future, Powers said. The judge then allowed Akard
to reopen his Web site selling other beach-themed merchandise.
Buffett, 59, known for his easygoing style and tropical
beach-bum persona, achieved pop stardom in the 1970s with such
hits as "Margaritaville" and "Come Monday." He went on to
parlay his laid-back Gulf Coast image into a business empire
that included a Margaritaville clothing line and nightclub
chain. He was not in court for the proceedings.
Neither Akard nor his representatives could be reached for
comment.
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