Another lawsuit filed by Boston founder and guitarist Tom Scholz has come to an end — and once again he’s come up on the short end of the decision.
This latest one charged Barry Goudreau, the band’s former guitarist, with trademark infringement, but an eight-member jury decided that Goudreau’s billing himself as a “former original” member of Boston did not cause confusion with fans.
But the jury also rejected Goudreau’s counter-suit for breach of contract. He claimed that the lawsuit filed by Scholz deprived him of his rights to play music and call himself a former member of Boston, which he left in 1983.
Afterwards, Scholz said, “Despite the jury’s verdict on our trademark violation claim, today’s outcome was satisfactory because it reinforces a clear message for musicians and artists across the nation. Trademark law exists not just to protect the rights of those who create, but to preserve the legacy and value of their art. Creative work must always be defended when confronted by infringement or misuse.”