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Bit Parts Image

Bit Parts

Stan Soocher

Jerry Lee Lewis Gets Extended Discovery Time in Management Litigation Against His Daughter<br>Three-Year Statute of Limitations Argument Doesn't Bar Claims to Copyright Renewal Terms<br>Ticketmaster Prevails With “Striking Compatibility” Claim in Copyright Suit Over Ticket Bots

Features

Practical Impact of D.C. Circuit's Ruling on Foreign Broadcasters and Copyright Liability Image

Practical Impact of D.C. Circuit's Ruling on Foreign Broadcasters and Copyright Liability

Scott D. Locke & Laura-Michelle Horgan

Broadcasters around the globe know that Americans want access to digital content and that they often ignore who provides it to them. For business reasons, tax reasons or to try to avoid liability under copyright law, many of these broadcasters intentionally do not set up operations in the United States. However, when these broadcasters transmit content for which they do not have authorization, they may be in violation of the copyright holder's rights.

Features

Arbitration Impact on Attorney Fees and Film Company Principal Image

Arbitration Impact on Attorney Fees and Film Company Principal

Stan Soocher

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reversed a district court's award of attorney fees to Sony Corp. under §505 of the Copyright Act for winning a ruling that a lawsuit over a Sony Music songwriting contest should be sent to arbitration.

Features

Commentary: 'Thin' vs. 'Broad' Protection for Music Works Image

Commentary: 'Thin' vs. 'Broad' Protection for Music Works

Dr. Dariush Adli

The hotly disputed legal issue between the majority and dissent in the recent, highly-publicized “Blurred Lines” decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit concerned whether Marvin Gaye's 1976 hit song “Got to Give it Up” was entitled to “broad” or “thin” copyright protection.

Features

Commentary: Smaller Space for Innovation Leads to More Infringement Suits Image

Commentary: Smaller Space for Innovation Leads to More Infringement Suits

Christopher J. Buccafusco

Pop musicians may be running out of creative space. And this problem is being exacerbated by the behaviors of what we might call the “legacy” interests — parties who own copyright interests in already-created songs but who won't be making any new music.

Features

DeLorean Estate's Lawsuit over 'Back To the Future' Royalties Image

DeLorean Estate's Lawsuit over 'Back To the Future' Royalties

Charles Toutant

Two camps are battling in New Jersey federal court over royalties paid by Universal Pictures for use of the car that became a time machine in the <i>Back to the Future</i> movie trilogy.

Features

Impact on Accusers of Court-Approved Weinstein Co. Sale Image

Impact on Accusers of Court-Approved Weinstein Co. Sale

Tom McParland

A Delaware federal bankruptcy judge's ruling in May approved the $310 million sale of The Weinstein Co.'s television and film assets to Dallas-based Lantern Capital Partners. The development was the latest blow to women who had hoped to recover against the company for abuses suffered at the hands of company co-founder Harvey Weinstein.

Features

Plot Thickens for Dispute over 'Star Wars'-Related Card Game App Image

Plot Thickens for Dispute over 'Star Wars'-Related Card Game App

Ross Todd

In a lawsuit over rights to a card game with a pivotal role in the <i>Star Wars</i> saga, Lucasfilm Ltd. won an early battle against app maker Ren Ventures Ltd. when a federal district judge in San Francisco declined to dismiss Lucasfilm's claims based on Ren Ventures' use of various trademarks, primarily centered on the game Sabacc.

Features

Considering Lease Assignment Provisions in the Light of an Enterprise's Broader Business Plan Image

Considering Lease Assignment Provisions in the Light of an Enterprise's Broader Business Plan

Terrence M. Dunn

When entering into or acquiring leases for locations, a retail or restaurant business must consider broader business concerns in negotiating the leases' assignment provisions. Those provisions can inadvertently create major obstacles in the ultimate conveyance or financing of the business.

Features

Supreme Court Denies Cert in RLUIPA Case Image

Supreme Court Denies Cert in RLUIPA Case

Steven M. Silverberg

<b><i>Sets Standard that Potentially Relieves Municipalities from Liability for Denying Religious Uses</b></i><p>The broad and somewhat vague definition of religious exercise in The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) has invited much litigation over what constitutes a substantial burden and even what constitutes religious exercise.

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