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Copyright Litigation Copyright Ownership

McDermott Will & Emery

Que sera, sera: No declaratory relief after songwriter’s heir terminated copyright assignments

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Addressing the intersection of a trust beneficiary’s rights to royalties and an heir’s copyright termination rights under 17 U.S.C. § 203, the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court’s order...more

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Sharing the Stage: How Tempo Music Investments LLC v. Miley Cyrus et al Reinforces Copyright Co-owner Rights

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A recent ruling from the United States District Court for the District of Central California in the lawsuit against Miley Cyrus and others for the song “Flowers” highlighted the power that a single copyright co-owner holds in...more

McDermott Will & Emery

No Fair Use Defense Results in Default Judgment

The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed a district court’s dismissal of a copyright infringement claim alleging copying of a photograph, finding that the defendant’s use of the photograph did not constitute...more

Offit Kurman

To Use or Not to Use? Fear Not! The Public Domain Beckons Thee

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Ah, the public domain—where copyrights dare not tread, and content lives free from the litigious claws of infringement claims. Whether thou art a humble creator or a bold entrepreneur, rejoice! For in this blessed realm, you...more

MoFo Tech

D.C. Circuit Holds that Works Created Solely by AI are Not Copyrightable

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On March 18, 2025, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the D.C. District Court’s and U.S. Copyright Office’s decisions, holding that a copyrighted work cannot be authored exclusively by an AI system. Computer...more

DLA Piper

Books to Blockbusters - 6 Key Legal Considerations

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This post provides an overview of the six key legal challenges and opportunities to expect in the UK when negotiating to acquire the rights to adapt a book for film or TV. ...more

McDermott Will & Emery

Religious Texts, Copyrights, and Estate Law: A Case of Strange Bedfellows

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The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part a case involving a deceased religious leader who owned the copyrights to works reflecting his teachings. The Court found that the copyrighted...more

Jenner & Block

Client Alert: US Copyright Office Issues Report on Copyrightability of Works Incorporating AI-Generated Material

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On January 29, 2025, the US Copyright Office issued a long-awaited report on the copyrightability of works consisting of or incorporating material generated by artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The report is broadly...more

Kaufman & Canoles

Song of the Year vs. Record of the Year: Copyright Law and the Grammys

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On Sunday, two of the most prestigious categories at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards will confuse millions. To prevent you from being one of them, allow copyright law to explain the difference between Song of the Year and...more

McDermott Will & Emery

Focus on Funk: 40-Year-Old Copyright Claim Is Time-Barred

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In a summary order, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the district court’s orders in a case involving an ownership dispute over the copyrights to certain compositions by Parliament-Funkadelic bandleader...more

McDermott Will & Emery

It’s All Grecco to Me: No “Sophisticated Plaintiff” Exception to Discovery Rule

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In a case of first impression, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that there is no “sophisticated plaintiff” exception to the Copyright Act’s discovery rule, which provides that a copyright claim only accrues...more

Haug Partners LLP

Warner Chappell Music, Inc. v. Nealy: Plaintiffs Can Recover Damages for Timely Claims of Copyright Infringement Dating Back More...

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On May 9, 2024, the Supreme Court in Warner Chappell, Music Inc. v. Nealy settled a longstanding circuit split and ruled 6-3 that the Copyright Act entitles a copyright owner to recover damages for any timely claim, no matter...more

McDermott Will & Emery

Family Feud: Counterclaims Too Little, Too Late

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The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed a district court’s ruling that aggrieved family members’ counterclaims for various intellectual property matters were long overdue and subject to a laches defense....more

Robins Kaplan LLP

Navigating the Legal Landscape: Generative AI and Copyright Law

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Generative artificial intelligence captivated the world in 2023 and is firmly positioned to remain center stage in the coming year. In the United States, the introduction and early-stage use of generative AI have been plagued...more

Jones Day

No Time Limit for Damages from Copyright Infringement

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The Supreme Court held that copyright owners who file a timely claim may obtain damages no matter when the copyright infringement occurred. ...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

The Legal Landscape of Fan Art

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In the digital age, fans have embraced the opportunity to put a spin on famous corporate logos. Reimagining logos may be a way for consumers to express a connection they have to the brands, teams, and franchises they love and...more

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Will “Success Kid” Owner Continue to Succeed on Appeal in Copyright Dispute?

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Years ago, Laney Griner took a picture of her then toddler son, Sam, at the beach clenching his fist in what appeared like a celebratory gesture. The photo went viral, and later became a widely used meme on the internet known...more

Perkins Coie

Human Authorship Requirement Continues To Pose Difficulties for AI-Generated Works

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2023 was a breakout year for generative artificial intelligence (AI), but it was a rough year for protecting the content generated using such technology. The U.S. Copyright Office issued several rulings last year on the...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Whoa! Cannabis Company Lawsuit Lights Up the Benefits of Creative IP Protection

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Federal trademark registration is typically unavailable for goods and services related to the sale of cannabis. But a combination of federal copyright registration and state trademark registration for these goods and...more

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

MarkIt to Market® - February 2024

Thank you for reading the February 2024 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter. This month, we discuss the advertising rights of luxury resellers and important updates to the Warner Chappell Music v. Nealy...more

McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP

AI News Roundup – OpenAI launches Sora, Nvidia stock price increases, universal AI model for biology and more

There’s a lot happening in the world of AI. To help you stay on top of the latest news, we have compiled a roundup of the developments we are following. OpenAI recently announced generative AI video tool Sora, which converts...more

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

Time's Up: Supreme Court to Grapple with Damages Dilemma in Warner Chappell Music v. Nealy

On February 21, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in Warner Chappell Music, Inc. et al. v. Nealy et al. The case involves whether plaintiff music producer Sherman Nealy may recover damages for...more

McDermott Will & Emery

Copyrightability? Think Outside the Checkbox

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The US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed a district court’s judgment that a customer intake form was not copyrightable because it lacked requisite originality. Ronald Ragan, Jr. v. Berkshire Hathaway...more

Perkins Coie

The Legal Future of Tattoos: A Jury Rules Against Copyright Infringement

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A federal jury in California found on January 26, 2024, that TV-famous tattoo artist Katherine Von Drachenberg (Kat Von D) did not infringe plaintiff Jeffrey Sedlik’s copyrighted photo of jazz artist Miles Davis. Kat Von D...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Making Your Mark

How Original! The Oscars and the Craft of Derivative Works

Happy Oscar season! As we ramp up for film’s most anticipated event, the lists start flying for the year’s potential winners. Frequently, the Academy favors somewhat obscure, esoteric films—so it might be surprising to learn...more

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