A Nevada judge has ruled that the owner of a brothel can begin using its trademark name of Mustang Ranch.

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The Reno (Nev.) Gazette-Journal reported that Lance Gilman, the owner of the Wild Horse brothel, was awarded the trademark name Friday more than seven years after he purchased the rights to it from the U.S. government.

Back in 1999, Gilman reached an agreement with government officials to buy the Mustang Ranch's name, trademark and buildings for $145,000, but a nephew of the original owner had protested the use of the name.

Rival brothel owner David Burgess, whose uncle Joe Conforte opened the Nevada brothel in 1971, began fighting the trademark case four years ago.

After Friday's court ruling, Gilman told the Gazette-Journal he would implement the name change immediately.

"We're putting up the Mustang Ranch signs right away and celebrating. This is a tremendous victory for us," he explained. "Tell everybody the Mustang Ranch is alive and rides again."