Staind Vs. The Stain

A legal battle over the name “The Stain” was recently settled out of an Ohio federal court for an undisclosed amount.

The drama stemmed from a dispute between the band Staind and Jon Stainbrook, a Toledo musician who registered the trademark “The Stain” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in 1980.

Staind and Stainbrook entered into a trademark licensing agreement in 1999, but in 2003, the band sued Stainbrook, claiming he had failed to meet his end of the deal.

Years of litigation, a change of venue and a countersuit by Stainbrook followed.

The original 1999 agreement was partially renegotiated and the parties’ claims were settled in July, allowing Staind and Stainbrook to continue to use the trademark in their respective areas.