The legal dispute between the trust of late Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell Abbott and Armadillo Distribution Enterprises, the parent company of Dean Guitars and Ddrum, continues to unfold following a recent court ruling.
The lawsuit, originally filed in 2021 by the trust (In Dime We Trust), centers around a disputed endorsement deal struck between Dimebag and Dean Guitars for a signature line of instruments. The trust sued Armadillo Distribution Enterprises for breach of contract, alleging the company failed to honor multiple terms of the agreement. The suit also leveled accusations of false endorsement, false association, fraud, and violations of Florida’s deceptive trade practices act.
In April 2026, a judge in Tampa, Florida, issued a summary judgment that largely sided with Armadillo Distribution Enterprises, dismissing the majority of the claims brought forward by the trust. On June 5, the trust, headed by Dimebag‘s long-time significant other, Rita Haney, issued a comprehensive press release formally responding to the decision and outlining their intent to appeal.
In the statement, the trust expressed strong disagreement with the court’s interpretation of the 2004 contract, providing the exact contractual language they believe proves ownership was never transferred to the guitar manufacturer:
“The Company [Dean Guitars/Armadillo Enterprises] shall acquire no rights in the tradenames or designs ‘Stealth Guitar’ or ‘Razorback Guitar’ by virtue of this Agreement, and upon termination of this Agreement shall cease the production of Stealth and Razorback style guitars.”
To further support their position, the trust referenced a Non-Disclosure Agreement signed by then-Dean Guitars CEO Elliott Rubinson two months prior to the 2004 endorsement deal. According to the press release, the NDA explicitly acknowledged the origins of the guitar shapes:
“The design constitutes a specific body shape of a guitar and specific headstock shapes that were designed by ‘Dime,’ known as the ‘Razorback,’ a slightly modified ‘Stealth’ guitar, which is also a design of ‘Dime’s,’ and the ‘Razorback Headstocks 1 and 2,’ and are to be used in creating his own signature line of guitars.”
Addressing the ongoing legal battle, Rita Haney provided a lengthy, unbroken statement detailing her stance on the manufacturer’s actions and her commitment to reclaiming the designs:
“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.”
“Darrell would never have signed away ownership of his designs, and the documents clearly support that. He had Dean Guitars sign an NDA to even look at his Razorback Guitar. His Stealth guitar was previously sold during his relationship with Washburn, and when that relationship ended, Darrell retained his designs and expected the same arrangement to be upheld by Dean Guitars.”
“Dean Guitars did not make or sell a single Razorback nor Stealth before their formal relationship with Darrell. They never used the shapes without Darrell’s endorsement and in no way should be allowed to make these guitars after the relationship was terminated.”
“We believe this company has repeatedly misrepresented the facts, and we continue to fight for the return of Darrell’s guitar designs as well as their unauthorized use of Darrell’s name, likeness, and intellectual property.”
Beyond the breach of contract claims, the trust alleges that Dean Guitars and its affiliates made false representations to the US Trademark Office in 2007, three years after the guitarist’s death. The trust claims the company attempted to trademark the Razorback shape by falsely stating they designed it posthumously:
“After his death in 2004, Applicant designed a unique Dimebag Darrell signature-design guitar line reminiscent of the classic Dean ML guitar used during Abbott’s early career as a tribute to Abbott. One of the designs features ‘razor’ like edges symbolic of the razorblade worn by Abbott around his neck.”
Despite the recent summary judgment, the trust emphasized that the litigation is far from over. They plan to appeal the court’s decision while continuing to pursue additional claims regarding the unauthorized use of the guitarist’s intellectual property, including the famous “Dean From Hell” artwork. The trust has published documents related to their case on the official Dimebag Darrell website for public viewing.
The press release concluded with a final statement summarizing their motivation for continuing the legal fight:
“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. We remain committed to protecting Darrell’s legacy and ensuring that one of the most influential guitarists in music history receives the respect and legal protections he deserves.”
