On January 20, 2026, the Court of Appeal in The Hague (Hof Den Haag) issued a final ruling confirming that Jeffrey Sutorius is legally entitled to use the Dash Berlin name once again. The decision, issued under case number IEF 23235, removes all previous legal restrictions and brings a definitive end to the long-running trademark dispute surrounding the project.

For the global trance community, Dash Berlin has never been just a name on a poster. It became closely associated with a period of melodic, emotional trance and a strong connection between the artist and fans who identified themselves as “Dashers.” That connection, however, has been tested for nearly eight years as the project became entangled in a complex legal conflict that left its identity divided and uncertain.

The dispute began in 2018 following Jeffrey Sutorius’ separation from the project’s original producers, Eelke Kalberg and Sebastiaan Molijn. Over the years that followed, ownership of the Dash Berlin name shifted multiple times through court rulings. In 2019, Jeffrey Sutorius briefly regained the right to perform as Dash Berlin, before a subsequent decision in 2022 reassigned the name to the producer side, who continued the project with a new vocalist.

During that period, Jeffrey Sutorius continued performing under his own name, while his association with Dash Berlin remained central to how fans perceived his work. His solo output, including Bad Days and the album #aparttogether, reflected a more personal and restrained direction, developed while the legal status of the Dash Berlin name remained unresolved.

The latest ruling (ECLI:NL:GHDHA:2026:25) settles that uncertainty. By confirming Jeffrey Sutorius as the lawful user of the Dash Berlin name, the court effectively returns the project to the artist most closely associated with its live performances and public identity over the past decade.

With the legal process now complete, attention turns to what comes next. Jeffrey Sutorius is expected to restore Dash Berlin branding across digital platforms and outline tour plans for 2026. Recent performances already point to this transition, bringing together classic Dash Berlin tracks such as Waiting and Better Half of Me alongside material developed during his years performing as a solo artist.

For many within the trance scene, this moment does not register as a comeback. It reads as resolution, and the continuation of a project finally aligned again with the artist who carried it onto stages around the world.