UK 'Stormtrooper' Helmet Maker Wins Battle Against George Lucas

A British "Stormtrooper" helmet maker has won a legal battle against "Star Wars" creator and director George Lucas and his Lucasfilm empire.

Andrew Ainsworth, who designed and made the original black-and-white helmet for the 1977 film, is free to continue making replicas, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday. He is forbidden, however, to sell them in the United States.

While copyright laws in the UK cover items identified as works of art, replicas of works of art are not covered.

"I am proud to report that in the English legal system David can prevail against Goliath if his cause is right," the 62-year-old said in a statement.

This is not the first time the legal force has been with Ainsworth. In 2008 and 2009, two lower courts claimed that costumes were props, and not works of art, giving Ainsworth the upper hand.

Wednesday's five-judge panel also concluded that the helmet was "utilitarian in the sense that it was an element in the process of production of the film," while the "Star Wars" film itself belonged solely to Lucas and his production company, reports The Associated Press.

Lawsuits connected to "Star Wars" films are not new to Lucas and company. In August 2010, following a failed cease-and-desist letter, a $5 million trademark-infringement lawsuit was made against Jedi Mind, a company that claimed to have the technology to allow people to control computers with their minds. The company later changed its name to Mind Technologies, Inc.