The battle between Jay-Z and Boston Red Sox slugger, David Ortiz, has been settled. One of Jay-Z’s lawyers, Peter Raymond, told the New York Daily News the only thing missing is the official paperwork.
“The case has been settled in principle,” Raymond told the Daily News. “We have agreed on the outlines of a settlement and need to reduce it to writing.”
After Jay slapped Ortiz with a $5 million trademark infringement suit, Ortiz’s camp claimed the suit was extremely excessive. Jay-Z owns several franchised 40/40 Club locations, and Ortiz opened a “Forty-Forty” club in his native Dominican Republic, which spawned the 2010 suit. The most recent ruling called for Ortiz to rename his club.
Federal District Judge Richard Berman was set to rule in the case Tuesday, March 29, 2011. He’d previously urged both parties to settle, and once they agree in writing the case could be dismissed in as little as 30 days.
“Seems like a sensible outcome,” Berman added.
Any lawyers on the board that can answer a question, cause I don’t get this. I understand that Ortiz lives in the US, or at least does so during the season and HAS to know about Jay-Z’s club, so yes its a rip off. However, being that his club is in another country, unless Jigga and his partners trademarked the name worldwide, how can they sue Ortiz for naming his club 40/40, in another country. This is not Puerto Rico that’s part of the U.S. How can U.S. laws apply to the point where he is getting sued over here?
Trademarks apply internationally, He is actually about to take the 40/40 to different countries himself.