US: Court rules in Hendrix vodka dispute

The company that owns the trademark rights to the music of Jimi Hendrix has claimed a legal victory over the company that launched the Hendrix Electric vodka brand.

In a statement released yesterday (17 February), Experience Hendrix LLC and Authentic Hendrix LLC said they had won a legal victory in their trademark infringement case against Craig Dieffenbach and Electric Hendrix Spirits LLC.

Experience Hendrix and Authentic Hendrix filed a lawsuit in 2007 charging that Dieffenbach and his companies had infringed on Jimi Hendrix trademarks in a promotion of "Hendrix Electric" brand vodka.

According to the statement, US District Court Judge Zilly today entered a $3.2m judgment against Dieffenbach and his companies.

The Court also permanently enjoined Dieffenbach and his companies from commercially using any Jimi Hendrix products and directed that all their distributors and licensees immediately pull the vodka and other infringing products from the market and cease all related advertising, the statement explained.

"We are gratified that justice has been served. Mr. Dieffenbach has been held accountable for his unlawful actions and prohibited from ever again infringing our Jimi Hendrix trademarks," said Janie Hendrix, CEO of Experience Hendrix. "This judgment recognises our family's long-standing commitment to preserve the Jimi Hendrix legacy and artistic vision."

Experience Hendrix, the family-run company founded in 1995 by Hendrix's father, James Allen Hendrix, filed a lawsuit in 2007 alleging that companies owned by Dieffenbach unlawfully used Jimi Hendrix trademarks in the Hendrix Electric brand of vodka.

The complaint alleged that Dieffenbach and his companies intended to deceive the public into believing that Experience Hendrix had authorised the sale of the vodka and other products.

Dieffenbach said at the time that the lawsuit had no legal basis because a 2005 federal court ruled that Experience Hendrix does not own the rights to Jimi Hendrix's name and image - just his music.