DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — When you think of "Duke" — what comes to mind?
Some will think of actor John Wayne — who was nicknamed Duke — a name he adopted from the family dog he had as a child.
Then, there are those who associate it with Duke University. The school and the estate of the late actor are embroiled in a legal dispute over Duke.
Wayne's heirs are suing the university over the right to market bottles of bourbon branded with the name Duke and an image of the late actor. The school feels letting the Wayne estate slap the name on bottles of booze would "diminish, dilute and tarnish" the value of the name.
In their response, Wayne's heirs say the school doesn't own Duke. The United States Patent and Trademark Office lists more than 250 active trademarks that include the word "Duke," including jazz legend Duke Ellington — and a brand of mayonnaise.
