Copyright Litigation

Supreme Court Comes to a Major Copyright Law Decision

When Does Copyright Registration Occur? In a unanimous Supreme Court decision, copyright owners seeking protection must now wait for the Copyright Office to act on an application for registration before they can pursue infringement claims in court. Based on the...
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Can Celebrities Be Sued for Re-Posting Images of Themselves Found on Social Media?

Celebrities are used to having their photographs taken. And paparazzi are used to taking celebrity photographs. There’s always been a push and pull between the celebrity and the paparazzi. Some of their issues, such as privacy rights, stalking, and harassment...
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Dance Moves May Be Protected – But Fortnite Doesn’t Agree

Hold the Victory Dance: Rapper Sues Fortnite Makers Over Claims Game “Swiped” His Moves, Fortnite Moves to Dismiss Epic Games, the company that makes the smash hit video game “Fortnite Battle Royal,” finds itself involved in a battle outside of...
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What’s Happening In The Intellectual Property World?

One thing that always keeps us interested in intellectual property is its huge role in everyday life. People of all ages are exposed to a staggering amount of material each day that is protected (or protectable) by copyright, trademark, and...
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Led Zeppelin Is Going To California – And Back To Court

There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold… The question is, who gets the gold? She’s Climbing the Stairway to the Courthouse (Again) The music industry breathed a big sigh of relief two years ago when Led Zeppelin...
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On The Verge: The Biggest Update To Music Copyright Law In Over 40 Years

There’s a copyright bill racing through Congress so quickly that it could become law by the time you read this. But before we talk about what’s happening now, let’s take a look back at the past for context. What Does...
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Copyright Law’s “Blurred Lines” Will Remain That Way

Every once in a while, copyright injunction can be wildly unpredictable and interesting. Not necessarily in a good way… but interesting nonetheless. As is the case with the verdict in Robin Thicke and Pharrell Blurred Lines appeal. Though the verdict...
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Looking to Cancel Someone’s Copyright? Here’s What You’ll Need to Prove

How would you or the music fan in your life complete this sentence? "Everyday I’m _________" Rapper Rick Ross says the phrase is "Everyday I’m hustlin'," from his classic tune "Hustlin.'" Pop band LMFAO says it’s "Everyday I’m shufflin,'" as...
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New Year, Same Lawsuits

As tempting as it is to say "new year, new lawsuits," that's only partially true. Because while a slew of new suits will surely be filed in 2018, there are still plenty of pending cases that are worth watching even...
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The Politics of Using Music to Promote Politics

Music and politics have always made for natural bedfellows. No wonder - both provide telling portrayals of the cultural zeitgeist at any given time. Musicians frequently write about politics and political issues. And politicians (like many others) are often inspired...
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