Dance duo Justice are taking legal action against Justin Bieber, sending the singer a cease-and-desist after claiming the singer allegedly didn’t seek permission to use the band’s signature trademarked font.
ICYMI, Bieber’s new album, Justice, is set to drop later today (Friday, 19th March). The album artwork features the word ‘Justice’ all in caps, except for the ‘t’ which is in lower-case to resemble a cross.
Stylistically, that is very similar to the cross that Justice, the duo, have been using for some years now. Their management spoke to SPIN about the issue, saying that Bieber’s team allegedly never took the proper proceedings to legally use the symbol.
“Bieber’s team emailed us in May of 2020, asking to be looped in with Justice’s graphic designer to discuss a logo,” Justice’s management said in a statement to SPIN.
“We tried to set up a call between Bieber’s team and our designer, but the call was never completed and the conversation ended there. No one ever mentioned an album called Justice or a logo that says Justice. The first time we saw anything about it was the announcement.”
Now, Pitchfork is reporting that Justice’s team sent a cease-and-desist letter to Justin Bieber earlier this month, claiming that they trademarked the symbol, dubbed the “Mark”, back in 2008.
“Your use of the Mark is illegal,” Justice’s litigitation counsel wrote in the letter.
“You have not received permission from Justice to utilize the Mark. Moreover, Bieber’s work is in no way affiliated with, supported by, or sponsored by Justice. Such use of the mark is not only illegal, but likely to deceive and confuse costumers.”
The counsel have allegedly asked Bieber’s team to “cease and deist any and all uses of Justice’s Mark in any and all personal and business endeavors, including but not limited to [his] Album and social media.”
Bieber and Bieber’s team have yet to respond.
