Bob Ross Inc. (BRI) prevailed in the court fight over Bob Ross’s name, likeness and other disputed intellectual-property rights. In an April 1, 2019 ruling, a federal judge found the record showed Ross gave BRI rights during his lifetime and that his trust and estate had transferred or assigned any claims they might have retained in a 1997 settlement. That ruling decided ownership; it did not establish how much money Ross left or provide a complete accounting of what relatives or the company received.
Who got Bob Ross’s rights?
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia granted summary judgment to BRI in a lawsuit brought by RSR Art, LLC, a company founded in part by Ross’s son, Robert Stephen “Steve” Ross. The dispute concerned ownership of Ross’s intellectual property and right of publicity—the rights at issue in using his identity commercially.
Judge Liam O’Grady wrote: “The record demonstrates that Bob Ross gave BRI the right to his intellectual property and right of publicity during his lifetime.” He also concluded that “the Court is persuaded that Plaintiff does not own the rights to the Bob Ross intellectual property, including the right of publicity.” These were findings about the claims before the court, not a ruling that quantified Ross’s estate or all money connected to his name.
Why did the court rule for Bob Ross Inc.?
Ross’s business relationship with BRI
Ross died in Florida on July 4, 1995. He had founded BRI with his wife and Walter and Annette Kowalski to promote his work commercially. Between 1986 and 1992, BRI registered five trademarks for Ross’s name and likeness with his written consent. The company sold products bearing his name and likeness and licensed third parties to use them.
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The trust and estate’s 1997 settlement
Ross created the Bob Ross Trust in 1994. In April 1997, the trust and estate signed a settlement with BRI. The court described it as recognizing BRI’s ownership of Ross’s creative works and transferring or assigning any rights or ownership claims the trust or estate may have held. The court considered this agreement alongside evidence of Ross’s conduct during his lifetime.
The unsigned 1994 agreement
The opinion notes that a 1994 agreement drafted by BRI was unsigned. It should not be described as an executed contract. The court’s conclusion rested on the broader record, including Ross’s commercial conduct and the later settlement—not on a claim that he signed that draft.
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Did Bob Ross’s son inherit the rights?
The court rejected RSR Art’s claim to the disputed intellectual property and right of publicity. That answers the ownership question in the case: the plaintiff did not own those rights. It does not establish every detail of what Steve Ross or other relatives may have received financially, nor does it resolve every possible question about family relationships or private arrangements.
How much was Bob Ross worth when he died?
Celebrity Net Worth estimates that Ross was worth $1 million at the time of his death. The page does not state a publication year. This is a third-party estimate, not an audited valuation, and the court opinion does not confirm it. The ruling provides no total estate valuation or complete accounting of royalties, family receipts or BRI revenue.
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Who got the money?
Ownership of the rights and receipt of money are separate questions. The court decided the ownership dispute; the opinion reviewed here does not specify a complete division of Ross’s estate, calculate what family members received, or total the company’s licensing revenue. It therefore cannot support a claim that a particular person inherited a particular sum—or that Ross left “millions.”
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Sources
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, memorandum opinion dated April 1, 2019
- Celebrity Net Worth’s Bob Ross estimate
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