She’s (or her estate) Got You.
Patsy Cline Enterprise, LLC, which manages the late singer’s intellectual property, has filed a lawsuit (pdf) against the owner of PatsyCline.com.
Visual Link Internet appears to have registered the domain name in 1996 and, according to the suit, has previously operated a site about the singer.
The history between the estate and the domain owner is an interesting one. According to the suit, the estate initially reached out to Visual Link to complain about its operation of the site. (It doesn’t say when, but this seems to have been within the past few years.) It alleges that Visual Link’s owner, Mark Bayliss, said the domain wasn’t for sale but also mentioned he had turned down $50,000 for the domain and, were it to sell, he expected to receive over $50,000.
The estate then made an offer for $5,000 through a third-party service, which in turn reiterated Bayliss’ claim of the previous $50,000 offer and that it would cost more. In the lawsuit, the estate says it reached out again a year later to try to negotiate a purchase and Bayliss again told them it would be a substantial price.
So the estate turned around and did something amusing: it sent Visual Link an invoice for $87,500, which it said reflected an annual licensing fee for the name, image, and likeness of Patsy Cline.
Then it got weird.
Patsy Cline Enterprises reached out to the Defendant earlier this year, at which point it alleges that Bayliss told them he’s not responsible for the content of the site, and it’s actually managed by Celebrating Patsy Cline, Inc., a nonprofit group committed to preserve and perpetuate the legacy of Patsy Cline. But when the estate reached out to the non-profit, it said it had nothing to do with the site.
The estate pushed forward, telling Bayliss it was going to enforce its rights. It alleges that Bayliss then contacted it with an offer to sell the domain for less in order to avoid litigation.
The lawsuit claims that Visual Link Internet has infringed its trademarks and is violating the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act. It demands that Visual Link transfer the domain name.
After all these years and it’s fumbling of the matter, Visual Link Internet should try using squatters rights and statue of limitations. (Note: I’m not a lawyer and don’t claim to be one) I suggest Visual Link Internet contact a good lawyer like John Berryhill, Ph.d., Esq.
Preach caution.com
That’s a cyber crime though. Why would he defend himself by admitting he’s a squatter?
He could of got 10k out of them and been done with it. Now he’ll get nothing. No reason for some random guy to own PatsyCline.com.
Things have fallen to pieces for this guy.
Yes, please make an example out of these idiots who think they can infringe on others trademark and play hard ball. A $50,000 offer was more than enough. He has got to be a rookie domainer…or just stupid.
Why didn’t he sell it if someone offered him that? Who would offer that if they couldn’t use it? I say BS
Why do people think they can use other people? Who is this guy and what does he have to do with Patsy Cline? Maybe he should try to use something like Apple or Disney next.
Make big money!
I don’t get it – this guy buys a domain obviously to make money and sits on it. If the article is correct LITERALLY he breaks the law and in essence steals money from the estate of a dead singer. And everybody wonders why he gets sued. It sound more like he was trying to extort the estate – 50K wasn’t enough – he wanted more – WOW!
Can”t wait to see how this turns out.