copyright
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Redbox Wins (for now)
The decision in Disney Enterprises, Inc. v. Redbox Automated Retail, LLC was, to me, unexpected. Who would have thought that Redbox would win a case about selling codes for digital download of Disney movies? The way Disney elected to distribute the codes was key to the outcome, so I don’t know how much ripple effect… Continue reading
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The Second Circuit on Assigning the Right to Sue
I’ve written in the past (recursive link) about the phenomenon of copyright infringement lawsuits brought by photographers or their agents against textbook publishers. The textbook publishers allegedly exceed the license they had for the use of stock photos, either by exceeding the number of print copies authorized or using the works outside of the territorial… Continue reading
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An Exclusive License or Exclusive Agent?
I previously wrote about an Oregon decision, Fathers & Daughters Nev., LLC v. Zhang. The case was dismissed because the author of the film, the plaintiff, had exclusively licensed the infringed rights to someone else, so couldn’t sue for infringement itself. This post is a separate one to address an interesting footnote in the decision,… Continue reading
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Not Enough Ownership
Defendant Lingfu Zhang was accused of downloading the movie Fathers & Daughters via BitTorrent. Plaintiff Fathers & Daughters Nevada, LLC was the author and registered copyright owner of the film and sued Zhang. But copyright ownership is tricky. F&D had a sales agency agreement with non-party Goldenrod Holdings and its sub-sales agent Voltage Pictures.1 Goldenrod… Continue reading
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Termination of a Public License
I’ve been thinking lately about the concept of a “license.” This is a typical statement of what it is: [A] license is not a contract; rather, a license is “permission to use a copyrighted work in a particular specified manner …” Saxelbye Architects, Inc. v. First Citizens Bank & Tr. Co., 1997 U.S. App. LEXIS… Continue reading
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A Circuit Split That Isn’t, At Least Not Yet
Here is a really interesting decision in a bankruptcy case. If those words make you cringe, stop reading now because we’re going into the weeds. The question is what rights a trademark licensee has when its licensor declares bankruptcy. As a general rule, the trustee can elect to reject an executory contract under § 365(a). However,… Continue reading
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In the Category of Unusual “Writings”
I don’t expect to ever see something that trumps the pawn ticket as a writing documenting a transfer (or attempted transfer) of rights. But, in the copyright realm we have a contender – an Annual Report. It’s embedded below: It says “2003 represents the first 10 months in the life of Storix as a Corporation.… Continue reading
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A Good Opinion for Copyright Applicants
“Rappers are skilled in poetry and rhythm—not necessarily in proper copyright registration procedures.” With that comment, the Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit reverses a decision from the District Court for the Southern District of Florida that invalidated three copyright registrations for the same work and consequently dismissing the lawsuit. You can read my… Continue reading
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Never Trust Your Client
If you are registering for or filing something in your client’s name, never take their word on the details of the legal entity. First off, many times your client won’t know the state of incorporation, thinking it’s the state in which they are doing business rather than Delware, or vice versa. Or, as was the… Continue reading
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Not What Copyright Is For
I previously wrote about a puzzling case, Small Justice LLC v. Xcentric Ventures L.L.C., with the defendant better know as Ripoff Report. The First Circuit has now grappled with it, although based on a revised district court opinion amended with a highly consequential footnote. To distill it down as much as possible, a lawyer, Goren,… Continue reading
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