The $9M NFT Legal Saga: A Cosmic Farce of Apes, Art, and Legal Shenanigans 🎭

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In a twist so sudden it makes a hyperspace jump look sluggish, Yuga Labs’ $9 million judgment has been vaporized by a U.S. appeals court. The case, which revolves around Bored Apes, copycat NFTs, and a legal battle that could make your average Monday feel like a day at the office, is now hurtling toward a trial. 🚀

Key points, because even the universe needs bullet lists:

  • Court declares: Juries, not algorithms, must decide if apes are being bored in the right way. 🤖
  • NFTs are now legally “goods” (thanks, Ninth Circuit), but don’t expect them to start shopping at Target. 🛍️
  • Yuga Labs must now prove that their apes are… well, *not* confused with other apes. 🙃

Yuga Labs hasn’t proven that their apes are so uniquely bored that buyers would mistake them for… other apes. 🤷♂️

Yuga Labs Vs Ripps & Cahen: A Tale of Two Apes

In 2022, Yuga Labs sued Ryder Ripps and Jeremy Cahen for launching a project so creatively named “Ryder Ripps Bored Ape Yacht Club” that it could only be described as a “me too” NFT collection. 🤡 The lawsuit claimed the project was a “copy-paste” of Bored Ape Yacht Club, but the defendants countered with a defense so bold it could make a Sith Lord blush: it was “protest art.” 🎨

Ripps and Cahen argued their apes were a commentary on Yuga’s “racist imagery” (a claim as controversial as a banana in an art gallery). They also denied trying to confuse buyers, which is a bit like saying a banana isn’t a fruit. 🍌

Meanwhile, Thomas Lehman, the tech guy who got dragged into the chaos, settled with Yuga and presumably now lives under a rock. 🪨

In 2023, a California court handed Yuga a $1.6 million win, which later ballooned to $9 million. But the Ninth Circuit’s recent ruling is like a cosmic reset button: the case is back to square one, and the jury will now decide if apes are being bored in a way that’s legally… boring. 🤡

Why Did the Court Overturn the Judgment? (Spoiler: It’s Complicated)

The appeals court’s verdict is as cryptic as a Douglas Adams character’s monologue. They ruled that Yuga hadn’t proven the average consumer would mistake the copycat apes for the original. In other words, the court is saying: “If you can’t tell the difference between two apes, maybe you shouldn’t be buying NFTs.” 🙄

But here’s the silver lining for Yuga: the court affirmed that NFTs are “goods” under U.S. trademark law. This is a legal precedent so monumental it could make a mountain crumble. 🏔️ However, the court also rejected the defense’s First Amendment argument, which is like saying “art” isn’t a valid excuse for stealing someone’s homework. 📚

What Happens Next? (Prepare for More Legal Shenanigans)

The case is now a “legal rollercoaster” heading to a trial in California. The jury will ponder questions like: “Are these apes bored enough to infringe on trademarks?” and “Is this art or a money grab?” 🤔

Greg Solano, Yuga’s co-founder, took to X to declare, “We’ll finish the fight,” which is about as reassuring as a droid with a broken positronic brain. 🤖

As the universe continues its infinite expansion, one thing is clear: the legal battle over Bored Apes is a farce that would make even Zaphod Beeblebrox raise an eyebrow. 🤡

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2025-07-24 08:55