Los Angeles, CA – Yolanda Buggs accused Dreamworks’ animated movie “Flushed Away” of infringing her copyrighted screen play “Critter Island.” Details blogged here. On summary judgment, the Court applied only the “extrinsic test,” an objective comparison of specific expressive elements, because the “intrinsic test” is within the province of the…
Los Angeles, CA – In yet another case that should have settled quickly (see here), Defendant Upper Playground – who admitted to unabashedly copying the illustrations from Plaintiff’s book – instead attempted to challenge the validity of the copyright registrations. Randy Stratton authored and illustrated the book “Build This Bong:…
Los Angeles, CA – Writers Jonas Larsen and Anthony Ross are suing Lisa Ann Walter and NBC Universal over the “Dance Your Ass Off” television show. Plaintiffs claim their agents introduced them to Walter, who was the third lead in the movie “Shall We Dance,” to develop a reality television…
Los Angeles, CA – Mavrix is a celebrity photography agency that licenses its photos to newspapers, television programs and magazines. Associated Newspapers Limited publishes the Daily Mail print newspaper and an online version at www.dailymail.co.uk. Mavrix alleges that it offered pictures of actress Kate Hudson by the pool in a…
Los Angeles, CA – Fox is the owner of all copyrights in its “Sons of Anarchy” television show airing on FX. The dramatic television series follows a notorious outlaw motorcycle club battling outside threats to protect its livelihood “while ensuring that their simple, sheltered town of Charming, California remains exactly…
David Guetta, the Black Eyed Peas, individual members of the band, their publishers and record companies were sued for copyright infringement, claiming that the band’s “I Gotta Feeling” hit-song was based on Bryan Pringle’s “Take a Dive” song. Pringle alleges that he wrote “Take a Dive” in 1998, which song…
Plaintiff Figure Eight Holdings acquired by assignment the copyright in the “treacherous” design depicted below (left). Plaintiff alleges that defendants had access to the design and that defendant New Era Cap has sold caps bearing a substantially similar design to retailers, including defendant Hat World. “Defendants have been demanded to…
Santa Ana, CA – Electronic Arts’ 2009 release of its Sims 3 virtual reality game sequel was to be accompanied by a promotional PlumbBob USB flash drive, which design and prototype has resulted in a real world copyright lawsuit. Plaintiff Design Technologies (“DT”) alleges that Lithomania, a broker that specializes…
Oskar Systems sued Club Speed, Pole Position, P2R Karting, and individuals for allegedly infringing its copyright in source code for a computer program used in the operation of go-kart tracks. Details blogged here. In late 2001-early 2002, the software was initially developed and owned by Contemporary Systems, Inc. (“CSI”). In…
Los Angeles, CA – In 1977, Singer/Songwriter Lamont Dozier composed a song entitled “Peddlin’ Music on the Side” and registered the copyright therein. He further renewed the copyright registration in January of 2005. In 2009, Derek Christoff (pka “D-Sisive”) recorded a rap song entitled “(I’m A) Nobody With a Notepad.…