Andy Griffith (1926-2012) was well known as the actor who played Sheriff Andy Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show, and the brilliant Attorney Ben Matlock on Matlock. Anyone looking into the courtroom in 2006 might have thought these two fictional characters had come to life and were battling against each other in the landmark case of Andy Griffith v Andy Griffith.
The lawsuit, filed November 3, 2006, in U.S. District Court in Madison, targeted William Harold Fenrick, who had recently changed his name to Andy Griffith and then used his new name to promote his candidacy for sheriff in southwestern Wisconsin. The lawsuit claimed that the erstwhile Fenrick violated trademark and copyright laws, as well as the privacy of actor Andy Samuel Griffith when he used his new name. (Source)
Unfortunately, Matlock suffered an almost unheard-of loss when the federal judge ruled against the actor. Judge John Shabaz determined that the actor was unlikely to suffer financial harm and that voters were unlikely to be confused about whom they were voting for. (Source)
Although victorious in the lawsuit, Fenrick/Griffith didn’t fare nearly as well at the ballot box. He took about 7.5% of the vote and finished far behind the Republican incumbent.
The Protagoras Paradox: When You Win By Losing … Or Do You Lose By Winning?
Discover the fascinating story of the Protagoras paradox, where a legal agreement gave birth to one of history’s greatest philosophical paradoxes. Learn more about this thought-provoking case.
The Strange Case of Ernesto Miranda and How He Ended Up Dying For the Right to Remain Silent
It was Ernesto Miranda’s case before the U.S. Supreme Court that enshrined the constitutional right to remain silent. Find out how that ultimately contributed to Miranda’s unsolved murder.
Lincoln and the Disputed Legal Bill
During his legal career, Abraham Lincoln represented clients from diverse backgrounds. The wealthiest and most powerful of them was unquestionably the Illinois Central Railroad. Lincoln was sent to the White House in a campaign that identified him as a rail splitter, capitalizing on his powerful upper body strength. It was his success as a defender…
Leave a Reply