According to Northern California Record, a federal court has dismissed counterclaims in a trademark lawsuit involving Ratt. A judgment was entered in favor of the band’s general partnership in a trademark infringement lawsuit filed against WBS Inc. and original band member, partnership founding member and former WBS President Robert (Bobby) Blotzer (drums), according to a November 19th order of the US District Court for the Central District of California. The plaintiff's motion for summary adjudication and motion to dismiss some counterclaims were granted.

U.S. District Judge Dean D. Pregerson said in the ruling three Ratt trademark lawsuits have been filed amid disputes related to the ownership and use of the trademark and its alleged 2007 assignment to WBS.

The partnership was formed in the 1980s, and it originally held four trademarks for the right to use the name Ratt. In addition to Blotzer, the original band members and partnership members included bassist Juan Croucier and singer Stephen Pearcy.

In the first two complaints filed in connection with the ownership of the Ratt trademarks, the court said “WBS alleged that Croucier and Pearcy infringed upon the Ratt trademarks.”

After the court ruled in favor of Croucier and Pearcy in those lawsuits, the partnership filed the lawsuit that was the subject of the Nov. 19 ruling, claiming WBS and Blotzer were guilty of trademark infringement because they allegedly used the Ratt name without permission.

Read the entire report at the Northern California Record.

Ratt’s current line-up features Pearcy, Croucier, guitarists Jordan Ziff and Chris Sanders, along with drummer Pete Holmes.

In a recent interview with Talking Metal, Stephen Pearcy talked about the “new breed of Ratt” with original bassist Juan Croucier, guitarists Jordan Ziff (Razer) and Chris Sanders (Britny Fox), and drummer Pete Holmes (Black N' Blue), and the possibility of recording new music.

Pearcy said, “We would like to go in there and record a few new songs for next year, at least, before we go out again. I’ve got to have some physical stuff done, a knee surgery soon. Once we get back out there, I’m sure we’ll make time to get back in the studio and do a couple of songs next year.”

He then went on to say, “I’ll probably be working on new Ratt music with Juan Croucier in the next few weeks for next year. The band’s great, Jordan Ziff our lead guitarist, Chris Sanders on guitar, Pete Holmes on drums, Juan and myself. I call it ‘the new breed of Ratt,’ it’s sounding good. We’ll get a [new] tune out there [soon], it’ll be great.”

Stephen Pearcy recently released of his fifth solo album, View To A Thrill, on November 9th on CD/LP/Digital via Frontiers.