A Los Angeles county judge has ruled that the former members of Sublime may not perform under the well-known name of their old group.

Former band members Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh attempted to perform as Sublime at the Cypress Hill Smokeout Festival on October 24, and the group was later slapped with an injunction for illegal use of a trademark by the estate of deceased frontman Bradley Nowell.

After a preliminary hearing last Tuesday, the judge ruled in favor of the Nowell estate, giving them full rights of refusal over the name.

"Prior to his untimely passing, both Bud and Eric acknowledged that Brad Nowell was the sole owner of the name Sublime," a Nowell family representative posted on MySpace. "It was Brad's expressed intention that no one use the name Sublime in any group that did not include him, and Brad even registered the trademark 'Sublime' under his own name."

The Nowell family is happy with the judge's decision.

"We believe this will help protect and preserve Brad's musical legacy," they said in a statement.