A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against an advertiser of a New Year's Eve outdoor music festival near the site of the famous Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. This prevents the event from being advertised under its current name, due to potential consumer confusion.
Articles Posted in Intellectual Property
Taylor Swift May Face Jury Trial in Copyright Lawsuit
A federal judge declined to grant summary judgment to the pop singer in a copyright infringement case, finding that there were significant similarities between the lyrics of "Shake It Off" and a song written by the plaintiffs.
Cleveland Baseball Team Faces Trademark Lawsuit Over New Name
A roller derby team known as the Guardians argues that the Cleveland MLB team knowingly chose the same name as a replacement for their traditional but racially insensitive name.
Cher Sues Heirs of Sonny Bono Over Music Royalties
The pop singer and songwriter seeks damages of $1 million or more in a lawsuit over royalty agreements signed during her divorce from Sonny Bono.
Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye’s Copyright Infringement Ruling Upheld on Appeal
On October 8, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld summary judgment entered in favor of singer Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye. The summary judgment entered in the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, concerned a copyright infringement claim alleging that The Weeknd's song A Lonely Night copied Brian Clover and Scott McCulloch's song I Need to Love.
Apple Faces Patent Lawsuit Over IPhone Security Features
A Texas company alleges that Apple infringed patents that cover a method of creating a digital signature and storing it for user authentication in unlocking an electronic device.
Posted in:
Intellectual Property, Patent Law
Amazon Defeats Patent Infringement Claims Related to Alexa and Echo
The litigation involved voice command and bar code scanning technology that Amazon had promoted in connection with online shopping at Whole Foods.
Posted in:
Intellectual Property, Patent Law
Oprah Winfrey Defeats Copyright Infringement Lawsuit in North Carolina
A federal judge ruled that Oprah did not have plausible access to the allegedly infringed memoir, nor did her TV series resemble the memoir with sufficient precision to justify a finding of liability.
Facebook, Gucci Pursue California Lawsuit Based on Alleged Online Counterfeiting
The tech giant and the luxury designer are alleging claims based on breach of contract and intellectual property infringement.
Second Circuit Court of Appeals Rules That Andy Warhol’s Prince Series Prints Are Not Transformative Fair Use
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling on Friday, March 26, 2021, holding that Andy Warhol's series of prints depicting the musical artist Prince are not transformative fair use under copyright law. The three-judge panel further ruled that Warhol's prints and Lynn Goldsmith's photograph, the source material for Warhol's prints, are substantially similar as a matter of law.
