Kentucky Mist Moonshine is suing the University of Kentucky over use of the word "Kentucky" on clothing.
The small Whitesburg company filed suit Monday in U.S. District Court in Pikeville but the case has been reassigned to Lexington. Kentucky Mist is a small Whitesburg company that opened its Main Street location less than two months ago.
The lawsuit says UK threatened legal action against Kentucky Mist Moonshine for its pursuit of a federal trademark registration.
The lawsuit contends that "Kentucky" is a geographical location and says the word has been in use since at least 1792.
UK spokesman Jay Blanton released a statement stating that registering of the word "Kentucky" for clothing, educational services and collegiate athletic services was done in 1997.