U.S. SUPREME COURT TO ADDRESS WHETHER COPYRIGHT OWNERS MUST COMPLETE COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION OF THEIR WORKS BEFORE SUING
On June 28, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to address the issue of whether copyright owners must obtain actual registration with the US Copyright Office (as opposed to simply submitting their application for registration) before filing a lawsuit. The Supreme Court Justices granted a “petition for writ of certiorari” in the case of Fourth…
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On June 26, 2018, the Second Circuit began to listen to arguments regarding the summary judgment decision issued in September of 2017 finding that “Who’s Holiday!” a parody of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”, was protected by the doctrine of fair use. Dr. Seuss Enterprises LP (“Seuss”) has appealed a summary judgment issued by U.S.…
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On June 27, 2018, a California jury awarded entrepreneur Steven Lamar $25.25 million to by paid by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine to Lamar for his part in producing the first model of the popular “Beats” headphones. This was the end of a three-week trial after four years of litigation. It took the jurors three…
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On June 14, 2018, a California federal judge denied a motion to dismiss a class action brought by Indiana artists alleging that a company called Alibaba Group Holdings allowed copyright infringers to illegally reproduce the artwork of the Indiana artists on Alibaba’s website. The judge called the motion to dismiss a “waste of paper.” In…
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On June 13, 2018, New York U.S. District Judge Frederic Block issued an 89-page detailed explanation to why he denied New York City real estate developer Jerry Wolkoff a new trial. The opinion stated that Wolkoff “lied, was reckless and irresponsible” and demonstrated “egregious behavior” in court. Judge Bloc called the whitewashing “an act of…
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On June 14, 2018, Jeffrey Prosperie, who was struck by an ax by “Fox & Friends” co-host Pete Hegseth while shooting an episode of “Fox & Friends,” has filed a lawsuit in New York court against Pete Hegseth and Fox (including Fox Broadcasting, Fox News, Fox Entertainment, and “Fox & Friends”) for negligence. On June 14,…
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On June 4, 2018, U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti in the Southern District of New York refused to dismiss a Connecticut advertising agency’s claim that Pepsi stole a pitch for a Super Bowl ad that it had made to Pepsi in 2017. PepsiCo Inc. signed a three-year preliminary agreement in 2014 with Betty Inc.…
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On June 5, 2018, the 2nd Circuit revived a copyright infringement suit against Justin Timberlake and others in connection with the song “Suit & Tie,” and J. Cole’s song “Chaining Day,” brought by the members of “Sly Slick & Wicked”, over their song “Sho ‘Nuff.” The songwriters 2016 lawsuit was dismissed by a New York…
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On June 7, 2018, Businessman Steven Lamar told a California jury his story of how he created Beats by Dre, the popular headphones that made Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine extraordinarily rich. Lamar claims that Beats was his idea and that Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine were only meant to be “celebrity endorsements.” He further…
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On June 6, 2018, Paramount Pictures was dismissed from a copyright infringement suit that claimed they, along with Disney’s Marvel Entertainment and others involved in the making of Avenger films, copied designs in creating the armor used for Iron Man. Horizon Comic Production Inc. agreed to drop its claim against Paramount after U.S. District Judge…
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