Last month, Patty A. Kotero, the performer known as Apollonia for more than four decades, filed a lawsuit against the Prince estate, alleging they were trying to take her trademark name. A day later, the estate responded that her suit was unwarranted. Now, the Prince estate is asking for the lawsuit to be dismissed because of the “improperly filed” lawsuit over “hypothetical threats”, according to Stereogum.
According to Billboard, in a new filing the estate initially wanted to find a peaceful resolution but turned to “USPTO because her existing trademark registration on ‘Apollonia’ was blocking the estate’s own efforts to secure a trademark for ‘Apollonia 6,’ the name of the Prince-found girl group that Kotero led.”
The estate denies any alleged threats to disrupt her livelihood or identity and claims this means Kotero has insufficient evidence to sue. “Defendant has not demanded that Kotero give up her name, nor has defendant accused plaintiff of infringement,” the estate’s filing read. “Plaintiff’s case should therefore be dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.”
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