Copyright Infringement Suit Involving Nirvana and Dante’s ‘Inferno’ Illustration Heads to the UK; ArtNews, July 5, 2023

DANIEL CASSADY , ArtNews; Copyright Infringement Suit Involving Nirvana and Dante’s ‘Inferno’ Illustration Heads to the UK

"According to Bundy, not only are Nirvana and Live Nation using her grandfather’s work without permission but they are also claiming ownership of the work and adding copyright notices to the image.

Nirvana and Live Nation’s legal representative told Courthouse News that in the United States the image has been in the public domain since at least 1949. “Resolving the claims will require determinations of complex English and German copyright law issues based on decades-old documents and witnesses in England,” the attorneys added."

How the ‘Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World’ Got Its Logo; The New York Times, April 13, 2020

Joobin Bekhrad, The New York Times; How the ‘Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World’ Got Its Logo

"The logo has generated an enormous amount of money for the Stones. The British public relations veteran Alan Edwards, who handled the band’s publicity in the ’80s, said the Stones “must have grossed a good billion [pounds] in concerts, record and DVD sales, merchandising and exhibitions” and also used the logo “all over advertising.” Samuel O’Toole, an intellectual property lawyer at Briffa Legal in London, estimated the figure to be “hundreds of millions of pounds.”"

'Gone With the Wind' and 'Wizard of Oz' protected by copyright in merchandising suit; Los Angeles Times, 11/1/16

David Ng, Los Angeles Times; 'Gone With the Wind' and 'Wizard of Oz' protected by copyright in merchandising suit:

[Kip Currier: This week in my IP and "Open" Movements graduate course we looked at two high profile music infringement lawsuits, Capitol Records v. Thomas-Rasset and Sony BMG v. Tenenbaum. Good case studies (among others) for thinking about use of copyrighted works by individuals/institutions and copyright enforcement. Timely to see Capitol Records v. Thomas-Rasset damages assessment and rationale cited in the case discussed below.]

"The defense filed another appeal, but this week, a court upheld the ruling as well as damages amounting to $10,000 for 257 copyright infractions, resulting in an award of nearly $2.6 million.

The judgment “sends a strong message about the risk of engaging in copyright and trademark infringement,” said Frederick J. Sperling, a partner at the law firm Schiff Hardin LLP, who represented Warner Bros.

Valencia, the defendant, didn’t respond to a request for comment sent through a lawyer.

The case was filed in Missouri because some of the licensees selling the products in question were based in the state.

In upholding the damages amount, the appeals court cited a 2012 Capitol Records case in which the label sued an individual for putting copyrighted songs on the Kazaa file-sharing platform. In that case, a court awarded damages of $9,250 per infringed work.

Damages for copyright infringement range between $750 and $30,000 per instance, according to U.S. law.

In its 2011 decision, the 8th Circuit court ruled that characters such as Dorothy and the Scarecrow, as well as Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler, are “sufficiently distinctive to merit character protection under the respective film copyrights.”"

Comic-Con Program: Comic Book Law School 202: Greed Is Good...Or Is It?, 7/23/10

Comic-Con Program; Comic Book Law School 202: Greed Is Good...Or Is It?:

"Noted attorney Michael Lovitz, author of the acclaimed The Trademark and Copyright Book comic book, is back ready to tackle a number of the more advanced issues facing authors, artists, and designers, particularly once they've "broken through" and started publishing and selling (and maybe merchandising too). This second Comic Book Law School session addresses some of the complicated issues surrounding marketing properties and creative ideas, including transfers and licensing of rights; production, merchandising, and distribution agreements; and the key things you should know when Hollywood comes knocking. This interactive seminar gives attendees the opportunity to participate in the discussions as Lovitz (with an assist by entertainment attorney Mona Metwalli) covers various means for profiting from creative works and explores the many important elements that form the foundation of every contract (and time permitting, maybe participate in a mock contract negotiation). With in-depth discussions about the options and opportunities for profit, as well as the problems and pitfalls that go hand in hand with each decision, you can't afford to miss this seminar. Note: The Comic Book Law School seminars are designed to provide relevant information and practice tips to practicing attorneys, as well as practical tips to creators and other professionals who may wish to attend. [This program is approved for 1.5 credits of California MCLE.]"

http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_search_results.php?strShow=27&chkCat%5B%5D=239