March 31

Havana Club Dispute Back In The Spotlight After Congressional Reps Ask For Administration To Undo Predecessor’s Ruling

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The latest turn in a decades long fight over control of the Havana Club trademark for rum came from the Capitol this week.  Congressional leaders from Florida (home of Bacardi’s U.S. headquarters) have sent a letter to the new administration asking for the repeal of an Obama administration decision to allow Cubaexport, the Cuban company […]

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March 30

Online Wine Retailer Wins Case Against False Claims Assertions Over Failure to Collect Local Taxes For Sales

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In a recent win for online wine retailers (not wineries selling direct), the Illinois appellate court has upheld the dismissal of an action against online wine retailer Winetasting.com alleging it violated Illinois’ False Claims Act (740 ILCS 175) in failing to collect and pay the local retailer’s occupation tax for the municipality where the wine […]

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March 29

Example Agreements: Spirits Manufacturing Agreement (Licensing) – Contract Distilling With Enhanced “Flash” Aging

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This recent dispute between a distiller and a company looking to contract manufacture a whiskey called Rattleback Rye has resulted in an opinion from a federal district court in South Carolina denying a motion to dismiss based on breach of contract grounds against both the company and its principals, but granting dismissal of claims for […]

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March 28

Anheuser Wins Again Pursuing Claims Against Ex-Employee Associated With Alcohol Content False Advertising Suits

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In case you don’t remember, back in 2013 we shed some light on a series of class action lawsuits that were filed against Anheuser (AB InBev) alleging that water was added to beer to produce an alcohol content lower than what was stated on the labels.  The claims of the initial lawsuits quickly shrunk from […]

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March 24

Craft Brewers Need to Watch This Texas Dispute Over Getting Money From Wholesalers For Selling Distribution Rights – State Files Opening Brief in Appeal of Challenge to Texas Brewer’s Ability to Sell Their Distribution Rights for Payment

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It used to be that brewers signed with wholesalers and gave up their self-distribution rights and didn’t get any money for them.  Then some enterprising brewers realized that wholesalers sue each other and brewers for the value of those rights so the rights must have value.  They started asking for payment when they signed with […]

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March 21

Using A Photograph in Advertising or On Your Label? Better Make Sure You Have Rights From the Photographer AND the People In It. Natty Light Sued In Lawsuit Over Using Photograph From Social Media Contest.

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Ensure that you get the proper releases if you’re using a photograph with human subjects.  Whether on your label or in your advertising – if you’ve gathered photographs from a festival or from fans through a social media campaign you need clearance.  That means a release from the artist – he photographer – as well […]

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March 17

Bud Light Lime Lime-a-Rita not False Advertising Says – 9th Circuit … Compared to a Fictional Budweiser Lime-a-Rita or a Margarita

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The 9th Circuit has upheld the District Court decision dismissing the false advertising case against Anheuser for Bud-Light Lime Lime-a-Rita. For those not familiar with this false advertising lawsuit, consumers brought claims against Anheuser alleging that the use of the work “Light” in the Bud Light Lime Lime-a-Rita name was misleading because the alcoholic beverages […]

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March 16

This Spuds Not For You – Anheuser Gets Sued By Putative Owner of Spuds MacKenzie Claiming Anheuser Abandoned Spuds MacKenzie

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You read that right.  They created him, they used him, and now, they may have waited too long in between uses to be able to claim they have the rights to him.  This lawsuit (link to complaint), filed yesterday in the Southern District of New York by Spuds Ventures. The lawsuit alleges that the recent […]

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