Category Archives: Copyright Litigation
NBA Star LeBron James is Facing a $150,000 Copyright Infringement Lawsuit After Posting a Photo of Himself on Facebook and Instagram
Can you commit copyright infringement by posting a photograph of yourself in social media? The answer is “yes, it is possible”—at least in certain circumstances. According to a report from Sports Illustrated, basketball star LeBron James is currently facing a $150,000 copyright infringement lawsuit after he posted a cropped photograph of himself on his… Read More »
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of North Carolina—States Cannot Be Held Financially Liable for Copyright Violations
On March 23rd, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States rendered its decision in the case of Allen v. Cooper. In a 9 to 0 verdict, the nation’s highest court ruled that North Carolina cannot be made to pay for violating the copyright of a photographer who documented the salvage of a famous… Read More »
Does Copyright Law Apply to Architectural Designs?
With copyright protection, a creator of a work has the exclusive right to use that work—at least for a certain period of time. When you think of copyright law, the first thing that comes to mind is probably a novel. The author has intellectual property rights over their written work. As such, a third… Read More »
What Damages Can You Seek in a Copyright Infringement Case in Florida?
Federal law gives you certain exclusive rights to create, distribute, reproduce, and sell your works. However, when your copyright rights are infringed, you may be entitled to money damages under the Copyright Act of 1976. A West Palm Beach copyright litigation attorney can help sue the person who used your work without permission. If… Read More »
The Latest Copyright Case Before the Supreme Court: Can Georgia’s Official Annotated Code Receive Copyright Protection?
In December of 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in the case of Georgia v Public Resource—the latest major copyright case to go before the nation’s highest court. The key legal issue that is at stake in this case: To what extent does the government edicts doctrine render published… Read More »
Copyright Law: Ask Musicians for Music Act (AM-FM Act) Introduced in Congress
On November 21st, 2019, the Ask Musicians for Music Act (AM-FM Act) was introduced into congress. The bill, which seeks to reform the copyright regulations for terrestrial radio, is backed by a bipartisan group of legislators, including Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) and Jerry Nadler (D-New York). In this article, our experienced Miami copyright litigation attorneys… Read More »
Disney is Suing a Florida Company for Copyright Infringement
According to reporting from News Channel 8, Disney and LucasFilm have filed a lawsuit against Mouseprint Media LLC, a Central Florida business that they accuse of copyright infringement. Among other things, Disney alleges that Mouseprint Media is selling merchandise that intentionally infringes on its logos and designs. Here, we provide an overview of the… Read More »
Can Artificial Intelligence (AI) Own a Copyright? The USPTO Wants to Know
On October 30th, 2019, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published an official notice requesting input from copyright law experts, legal professionals, AI experts, and members of the general public on how to best develop laws and regulations pertaining to artificial intelligence and copyright law. Among other things, the USPTO wants to… Read More »
Pirate Ship Copyright Dispute Will Be Heard By the Supreme Court
On November 5th, 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States is set to hear oral arguments in the case of Allen v. Cooper—a copyright dispute involved a sunken pirate ship off of the coast of North Carolina. It is a complex dispute that tests the limits of sovereign immunity and American copyright law…. Read More »
Pop Star Jennifer Lopez Sued for Copyright Infringement—For Posting a Photo of Herself
According to reporting from USA Today, a paparazzi company has filed a copyright infringement claim against singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. It is the latest in a growing trend of cases in which celebrities are being sued for copyright infringement for posting photos of themselves. Several similar claims have been filed in recent years,… Read More »
What is the CASE Act? An Overview of the Proposed Copyright Law Reform
In May of 2019, the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act (CASE Act) was officially introduced in the United States House of Representatives. As members of congress are now returning to Washington, DC for the fall term, this prospective legislation is once again receiving attention. If it is passed into law, the CASE Act… Read More »
Copyright Infringement Lawsuit: Jury Rules that Pop Star Katy Perry “Copied” Hit Song
According to reporting from the Associated Press, a jury based in Southern California has ruled in favor of a songwriter named Marcus Gray and two of his co-authors in a copyright infringement lawsuit. Notably, this legal claim was brought against the music industry giant Capitol Records, pop star Katy Perry, and several other defendants…. Read More »
Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Over Tom Brady Photo Reaches Settlement
According to reporting from World Intellectual Property Review, a professional photographer has settled a copyright infringement lawsuit with Time Magazine and other digital media publishers. The dispute, which garnered national headlines, centered around a picture of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, which displayed on many media sites through embedded tweets. Notably, with this… Read More »
Former Fresh Prince Star Sues the Maker of ‘Fortnite’ for Profiting Off of His Likeness; Claims Rights to the ‘Carlton Dance’
According to reporting from the Miami Herald, actor Alfonso Ribeiro — formerly a star on the hit sitcom ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ — has filed lawsuits against the creators of two popular video games: Fortnite and NBA 2K. In his legal claim, Mr. Ribeiro contends that the companies that made these games are… Read More »
President Trump Signs the Music Modernization Act Into Law
On October 11th, 2018, President Donald Trump signed the Music Modernization Act into law. The legislation — which received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress — is designed to reform American copyright law to better account for digital streaming. In this article, our top-rated Miami copyright litigation attorneys highlight three of the most important things… Read More »
Three Important Tips to Protect Your Trademark on Social Media
For South Florida businesses, a strong social media presence is a valuable asset. According to data provided by Statista, nearly 80 percent of Americans currently have an active social media account on at least one platform. Just ten years ago, only 20 percent of Americans were on social media. Many businesses are still adjusting… Read More »
Circuit Split: Key Copyright is Headed to the Supreme Court
Recently, the Supreme Court of the United States agreed to hear a case involving a long-standing circuit split on a key copyright law issue. This decision comes after a South Florida company petitioned the court to take up this case last fall. The issue that is at stake in this dispute is relatively straightforward:… Read More »
British Pop Star Ed Sheeran is Facing a $100 Million Dollar Copyright Lawsuit Over Hit Song ‘Thinking Out Loud’
According to reporting from Entertainment Tonight (ET), the holding company that owns the rights to Marvin Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get It On’ has filed a $100 million copyright infringement lawsuit against pop star Ed Sheeran. In court documents, the company alleges that Mr. Sheeran copied and exploited key compositional elements of the famous 1970s song…. Read More »
Appeals Court: Monkey Cannot Own Copyright to Famous Selfie
Can a monkey hold a copyright in United States? It may seem like a silly question. However, it is one that recently required an answer at the United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit Court. On April 23rd, 2018, the Ninth Circuit weighed in on one of the strangest copyright lawsuits that… Read More »
Copyright Law: What is the First Sale Doctrine?
Under United States copyright law, copyright holders have certain exclusive rights. Among other things, copyright owners have the exclusive right to reproduce their protected work, create derivatives of this work, and to distribute the protected work. Of course, these rights are not without limitations and exceptions. At Pike & Lustig, LLP, our experienced West… Read More »
