Issue No. 067 · October 21, 2026

7-Eleven ends its Nike shoe dispute, Cheese Tax reaches federal court, and a worldwide music-rights ruling stands.

7-Eleven Ends Nike Air Max Trademark Suit

7-Eleven voluntarily dismissed its trademark lawsuit against Nike with prejudice on October 19. The dispute concerned orange, green and red stripes on an Air Max 95 sneaker that the retailer alleged evoked its store branding. Each side will bear its own costs and attorney fees.

Trademark

Cheese Tax Creator Sues Kroger Over TikTok Use

Matthew Michael Hobbs, the creator behind Puppy Songs, sued Kroger in California federal court over an allegedly unlicensed TikTok video featuring Cheese Tax. The October 19 complaint asserts separate copyright claims for the sound recording and the underlying composition. Hobbs alleges that the song was never available in TikTok's Commercial Music Library.

Supreme Court Leaves Worldwide Music-Rights Ruling Intact

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment in songwriter Cyril Vetter's copyright dispute because it lacked a quorum, not after a decision on the merits. The October 19 order leaves intact a Fifth Circuit ruling recognizing the recovery of worldwide rights in Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love) following termination of an earlier grant.

Original briefing

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