Santa Cruz resident Ryan Rittenhouse has apparently trademarked a logo for the Santa Cruz Surf Club (founded in 1936) and has been selling all kinds of merchandise without giving anything back to the club which created the logo. Now the surfers are suing to get their logo back and accusing Rittenhouse of elder abuse and trademark infringement.
In 2006, the suit alleges, Rittenhouse visited original club member Harry Mayo, 85, who keeps a “museum-quality” collection of club photographs and memorabilia. Rittenhouse asked Mayo to sign over the rights to the logo and photographs “so that people in Southern California would not be able to use the name and logo,” according to the suit filed late Tuesday afternoon. . . . Mayo was pressured into signing Rittenhouse’s documents without first consulting a lawyer or other members of the club, the suit alleges. Rittenhouse also told Mayo he wanted to sell shirts bearing the logo, the suit said, and would give part of the proceeds to the original club members. Rittenhouse has not donated any money, the suit said.
Looks like something only a judge and jury will be able to sort out.
[Link: San Jose Mercury News]
