NOT SO FAST NETFLIX, JUDGE REFUSES TO TOSS VIACOM’S CLAIMS

On February 22, 2019, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard E. Rico refused to toss Viacom Inc.’s case against Netflix based upon allegations that Netflix illegally recruits employees from Netflix’s competitors (including Viacom). Judge Rico shot down Netflix’s arguments- which Netflix raised in a motion asserting that Viacom’s fixed-term employment contract violates California labor law…

On March 1, 2019, Kanye West (“West”) accused longtime publisher EMI records of “locking him” into a business arrangement that is barred by the California Labor Code which limits how long certain contractual relationships can last. West sued EMI April Music Inc. and EMI Blackwood Music Inc. on January 25, 2019 in Los Angeles Superior…

On February 27, 2019, the Sixth Circuit dismissed a defamation suit brought by Portia Boulger (“Boulger”) against actor James Woods (“Woods”), claiming Woods tweeted a false story about Boulger and questioned if she was a “plant” who did a Nazi salute at a Donald Trump rally. In a published unanimous decision by the Sixth Circuit,…

On February 8, 2019, Slot game maker GC2 Inc. asked for the maximum penalty allowed under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) after a jury found that three companies infringed their artwork for online slot games. GC2’s request under DMCA against International Game Technology PLC (“IGT”), its Nevada subsidiary and former subsidiary DoubleDown Interactive LLC, comes after…

On February 14, 2019, New York federal Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger declined to dismiss the case filed by Jamaican reggae performer Flourgon (whose real name is Michael May) against Miley Cyrus, alleging that much of her 2013 hit “We Can’t Stop” was copied from his 1988 reggae song. Cyrus had argued the suit should…

On February 11, 2019, the owner of rosy-cheeked “King Cake Baby” filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Universal Studios (“Universal”) claiming Universal “unlawfully twisted elements” of his art into the masked killer in the movies “Happy Death Day” and “Happy Death Day 2U.” Jonathan Bertuccelli (“Bertuccelli”), the New Orleans artist and studio owner behind the…

Six-decade long soap opera, “Days of our Lives,” is being threatened with termination by Sony Pictures Televisions Inc. (“Sony”). According to the plaintiff in the lawsuit, Sony’s decision is based upon its desire to boost the ratings of its own almost 50 year running soap opera, “The Young and the Restless.” Corday Productions Inc., the…

Creative Artists Agency LLC (“CAA”) has filed a request to drop its lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court which they filed on April 2, 2015, alleging that United Talent Agency LLC (“UTA”) of conducting a “lawless, midnight raid” to steal high-profile Hollywood agents and star clients from CAA. CAA attorneys filed the request to dismiss…

On January 31, 2019, U.S. District Judge Lucy H. Koh of California ruled that AMC could not avoid a copyright infringement lawsuit that alleged defendants stole a zombie-comic creators’ characters, dialogue and plot for their series “Fear the Walking Dead”; a spinoff of AMC’s hit-show “Walking Dead.” Judge Koh explained that she didn’t yet have…

On January 31, 2018, a model who went viral as the “Fiji Water Girl” after appearing prominently in the background at the Golden Globes’ red carpet event has sued Fiji Water Co. LLC in California sate court claiming it misappropriated her likeness (meaning used her identity without her consent) by creating cardboard cutouts of her…