Features
Scott Graham
With an assist from Toucan Sam and Tony Bennett, owners of pre-1972 sound recordings no longer have to worry about losing their common law…
Features
Charles Toutant
A dealer in Internet domain names is accused in a cybersquatting suit of an illegal attempt to seize on the posthumous popularity of Prince.
Features
Robert J. Bernstein
&
Robert W. Clarida
Over the summer, a divided panel of the Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of a new trial motion and an order denying rehearing <i>en banc</i> in <i>Williams v. Gaye.</i> 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.
Features
Jenna Greene
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 <i>Frozen</i> or Chewbacca from <i>Star Wars</i> to perform at children's birthday parties.
Features
Jeffrey N. Rosenthal
&
Ethan M. Simon
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.
Columns & Departments
Stan Soocher
Katy Perry Defendants Denied Summary Judgment in Copyright Infringement Action Over “Dark Horse”<br>Former Percussionist for The Roots Can Proceed with Lanham Act and Publicity Rights Claims Against the Band
Features
Lawrence E. Ashery
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).
Features
Stan Soocher
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.
Features
Scott Graham
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.
Features
Michael I. Rudell
&
Neil J. Rosini
It is rare that a hit network television series is cancelled, as recently occurred with the ABC series <i>Roseanne</i>. 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.
