Long-term subscribers will remember our past coverage of the disagreement between these two sheep conservation groups (see Article IDs 1791, 1838, 1976, 2029). Without rehashing too many of the details, the dispute was over trademark and copyright infringement, plus breach of contract. The main issue was the use of the term "slam" by the two organizations in their promotional literature and record-book programs. The suit was filed in late 2006; a judge ruled in favor of GSCO in February 2008. GSCO was awarded over $1.9 million in damages. When the original judge recused herself for reasons unrelated to the case, it took a new judge two years to rule on post-trial motions. The judgment was upheld, and, with court costs and interest, the amount came in just over $2 million.
Thankfully, instead of filing new appeals and motions, the two organizations have hammered out an agreement in which $1.65 million is to be released to GSCO from the $1.9 million cash bond held by the federal court. A balance of $250,000 goes back to WSF. Moving forward, $100,000 per year for three years will be paid by WSF for conservation and hunters' rights purposes in the name of both WSF and GSCO. From that, $50,000 per year will go to John Jackson's Conservation Force. Another $25,000 per year will go to an international project and $25,000 per year to a North American........(continued)
