The legal battle between the trust of late Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell Abbott and Dean Guitars continues to develop, as In Dime We Trust has issued a detailed response following a recent court ruling that largely favored the guitar manufacturer.
Back in April, a judge issued a summary judgment in the long-running lawsuit, dismissing most of the claims brought against Dean Guitars’ parent company, Armadillo Distribution Enterprises. The case, originally filed in 2021, centers around allegations that the company breached its endorsement agreement with Abbott regarding his signature “Stealth” and “Razorback” guitar designs.
The trust—headed by Abbott’s longtime partner and representative Rita Haney—has now responded publicly, stating it “respectfully disagrees” with the court’s ruling and arguing that the decision conflicts with the original 2004 agreement.
According to the trust, the contract explicitly states that Dean Guitars would acquire “no rights” to the Stealth or Razorback designs, and that production should cease following termination of the agreement. They further point to a prior non-disclosure agreement allegedly acknowledging Abbott as the original creator of the guitar designs.
In a statement included in the response, Haney emphasized the trust’s position that ownership of the designs never transferred:
“The Agreement Darrell signed in 2004 stated Dean Guitars shall acquire ‘NO’ rights in the designs Stealth or Razorback Guitar, and… No means ‘None.’ It’s the ultimate negative: it means ‘not any,’ or ‘not at all.’”
The trust also alleges that Dean Guitars made misleading statements to the U.S. Trademark Office in 2007 when securing a trademark for the Razorback shape, claiming it was designed posthumously as a tribute.
Despite the recent ruling, the trust maintains the case is far from over, confirming plans to appeal the decision and continue pursuing claims related to the alleged unauthorized use of Abbott’s name, likeness, and intellectual property.
The response concludes by framing the case as part of a wider issue involving artist rights and legacy control:
“This case represents a broader issue faced by many artists and creators — the protection of their intellectual property and legacy against greedy corporate interests with greater financial resources.”
The trust also states that additional court documents have been made available via dimebagdarrell.com/2026courtrulingresponse.
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