A federal judge has ordered Patrick Moxey's Ultra Music Publishing to change its name within six months following a trademark dispute with Sony Music. The ruling comes after a jury found the company breached Sony's 'Ultra' trademark rights.

The dispute arose when Moxey, who founded Ultra Records in 1995 and Ultra Music Publishing in 2004, sold his remaining stake in Ultra Records to Sony Music in 2021. Sony filed a lawsuit in 2022, arguing that Moxey no longer had rights to the "Ultra" trademark since the license was terminated.

Key findings from the jury:

• The Ultra trademark was determined to be distinctive
• Ultra Music Publishing's continued use of the name was misleading
• The trademark use was likely to dilute Ultra Records' brand
• No customer confusion was found
• No damages were awarded to Sony

The legal battle continues as Moxey's Ultra International Music Publishing and Ultra Music Publishing Europe have filed a separate lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment and its subsidiaries. This lawsuit alleges copyright infringement, claiming Sony used Ultra Publishing's compositions without proper licensing. Sony has requested the dismissal of this case, describing it as retaliation for the trademark suit.

The ruling mandates that Ultra Music Publishing must complete its name change within a six-month timeframe to comply with federal trademark laws.

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