Yankees' Aaron Judge Wins Offseason Legal Battle

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New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge has come out of a recent legal battle with a personal win, once and for all shutting down an outside trademark appeal for "All Rise" and "Here Comes the Judge."
The star slugger originally won the dispute against Michael P. Chisena of Nassau County in April 2023, after the Long Island resident attempted to register the terms with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2017.
In court documents, Chisena -- who claimed he came up with the idea between 2012 and 2015 -- also claims he, "had no knowledge of Aaron Judge. I became aware of Aaron Judge at some point in 2017, but do not recall the exact circumstances," per ESPN.

His intention, according to the request, was to use the slogans (with baseball visuals) on apparel. His trademark applications came in Judge's rookie year, and included an image of "scales and a gavel overlaid on a baseball diamond," via Reuters.
The court did not find the argument to be in good faith.
Now, after Chisena's appeal, the court has upheld their original judgment, finally putting the case to bed once and for all.
Judge's Offseason
Given that Judge is essentially untouchable in the offseason, it seems by all accounts that he is enjoying his time off and spending time with family. Back in November, he supported Samantha Judge at the New York City marathon, and in December the couple participated in the Steinbrenner family's Children's Holiday Concert Series, reading "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and handing out backpacks.
Judge has been named Team USA Captain for 2026, and as the World Baseball Classic fast approaches, Judge has posted evidence that he is already taking batting reps to prepare. He will be joined by some of the MLB's top talent after he chose not to participate in 2023, exercising an abundance of caution ahead of a high-stakes Yankees season for him.

This time, Yankees manager Aaron Boone is delighted for him, and recently shared with the press that he is excited to see a player of his caliber participate in the WBC (set to begin on March 5).
“I think the fact that Aaron Judge is captaining the U.S. team is the right thing,” Boone said. “I’m excited for him to play in that environment and hopefully it’s only a few weeks and then we get him back.”
Judge is entering his age-34 season in 2026, still chasing a World Series Championship to cap one of the greatest MLB careers in history.
All rise, here comes the Judge™.

Erin covers the New York Yankees for On SI, reporting on all aspects of the championship chase that comes with a storied franchise. A fan of all storylines, who's looking to bring the latest news and updates to one of professional sports' greatest fanbases.