Intellectual Property Law

No Unfair Competition in Trial Over Competing Spiritual Seminars

By Michael Atkins

A Thurston County Superior Court jury yesterday found in favor of spiritual teacher JZ Knight and against her former student, Whitewind Weaver, local newspapers report.

Ms. Knight, founder of the Ramtha School of Enlightenment in Yelm, Wash. (pictured left), sued Ms. Weaver (right) for the $10,388 her company, the Art of Life Coaching, Inc., received teaching a spiritual seminar in 2006.

Ms. Knight claimed Ms. Weaver had breached her contract with the Ramtha School that she would not use what she learned for financial gain.

Ms. Weaver lost a counterclaim against Ms. Knight for unfair competition.

Her attorneys complained that an order in limine preventing the parties from using the words “trademark” and “copyright” hurt her ability to prove her case.

Ms. Knight claims in her teachings to channel “Ramtha,” a 35,000 year-old warrior spirit.

Ms. Knight succeeded in arguing that Ms. Weaver, who had taken 12 classes at the Ramtha School, copied her teachings. The jury made that determination in part by comparing video clips of Ramtha School seminars compared with clips of Ms. Weaver’s seminar.

Local press accounts provide more information about the trial (here, here, and here).

Full post as published by Seattle Trademark Lawyer on September 16, 2008 (boomark / email).