The ongoing battle between Freeway Ricky Ross and rapper Rick Ross took a twist in court (August 2), when a judged ruled that Freeway Ricky Ross must pay the rap star’s attorney fees and court costs, after losing a round in a battle for the rights to his own name and image.
Freeway Ricky Ross was in court today in front of Judge Rita Miller, who is presiding over trademark infringement case. Miller ruled that Freeway Ricky Ross must pay $500,000 in attorney fees and court costs on behalf of Rick Ross, born William Leonard Roberts II.
Lawyers for Freeway Ricky Ross unsuccessfully argued that each time Rick Ross mentioned the name in trade – in print, radio, or on the internet, that is was a re-usage of his name, which should have extended the statute of limitations.
Judge Miller upheld an earlier ruling, that stated that the statute of limitations of two years in regards to filing a complaint over the name had passed. In March of 2009, the lawsuit was dismissed from federal court.
“We believe that every time he goes on the radio he’s re-using my name, but the judge ruled that it’s one continuous use,” Freeway Ricky Ross explained. “I believe that those are all re-uses of my name, separate and different from when he started to call himself Rick Ross. They were trying to get me to pay $1.3 million, but she [Judge Miller] knocked it down to $500k.
Still, Rick Ross himself must fork over $800,000 in lawyers fees and court costs related to the case.
“It aint over and it aint never gonna be over until things get straight,” Freeway Ricky Ross promised “I aint gonna stop, I am going to keep going until I get my name back and whatever else I got coming.”
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