Over the summer, a divided panel of the Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of a new trial motion and an order denying rehearing en banc in Williams v. Gaye. We now consider whether the final affirmance of the jury verdict in favor of Marvin Gaye's heirs is likely to wreak havoc on musical creativity as some, including the dissent, have argued. For us, the short answer is no.
Disney Enterprises has been handed a setback in an ill-conceived lawsuit: Going after people who dress up as Disney-owned characters like Elsa from Frozen or Chewbacca from Star Wars to perform at children's birthday parties.
As far as software developers are concerned, video game modifications are not always a bad thing. The greatest cause for concern, however, arises when a modder creates a standalone game without permission from the developer — and then the new game takes market share away from the original.
Katy Perry Defendants Denied Summary Judgment in Copyright Infringement Action Over “Dark Horse”
Former Percussionist for The Roots Can Proceed with Lanham Act and Publicity Rights Claims Against the Band
Fans of movies about fictional superheroes are probably familiar with Captain America and his miraculous shield. Recently, however, his shield showed up in a most unlikely place: the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina dismissed a conversion counterclaim by rapper Chingy against his former business manager Leslie King, who is a lawyer, on the ground that the artist hadn't established that a royalty purchase agreement he signed with the lawyer was void for allegedly violating the state's attorney ethics rule. However, the district court allowed the artist to pursue the ethics rule as an affirmative defense in the underlying lawsuit the attorney's music company has filed against Chingy.
The Spanish foundation that administers the intellectual property rights of famed surrealist Salvador Dalí is suing a Monterey, CA, museum that displays a permanent Dalí exhibition and uses the artist's name and likeness to promote it.
It is rare that a hit network television series is cancelled, as recently occurred with the ABC series Roseanne. But when that happens, the immediate and long-term implications for the network, producers, talent and other entities related to the series can be significant.
Emerging technologies and regulations have the power to create, shape or kill businesses. For the entertainment industry, the European Union's (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and blockchain technology each embody forces that have the potential for profound impact. Taken in tandem, the GDPR and blockchain highlight the possibilities and pitfalls of disruption and the importance of cross-organizational collaboration in compliance and innovation initiatives.
MGM Resorts International's filing of lawsuits against 2,500 victims of the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting at the country music concert in Las Vegas was an unprecedented move that has plaintiffs' lawyers accusing the entertainment conglomerate of forum shopping and defense lawyers scratching their heads.
