Ottawa photographer Paul Couvrette wins copyright suit against the parent company of Boom 99.7 radio station, Corus Entertainment, for infringing on Couvrette’s watermarked real estate photograph.
By Haley Ritchie. Metro News.
New York photographer Eric Johnson sues company Rocksmith Group, LLC for exploiting his photo of the late singer Aaliyah on T-shirts and other apparel, depriving Johnson of referral revenue and clothing profits, especially from the photographer’s own Aaliyah T-shirt line.
By Tim Kenneally. The Wrap.
www.thewrap.com/aaliyah-clothing-line-fuels-copyright-infringement-lawsuit
Jukin Media wins copyright suit against Equals Three Studios, after a jury finds Equals Three guilty of using Jukin’s properly licensed, user-generated viral videos, for commercial purposes, without permission.
By Todd Spangler. Variety.
http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/jukin-media-equals-three-lawsuit-settlement-1201722778
Software company Synopsys is awarded $30M in damages, after jury finds rival firm ATopTech guilty of infringing on Synopsys’s copyrighted circuit software.
By Ross Todd. The Recorder.
www.therecorder.com/id=1202751933488/Synopsys-Wins-30-Million-Jury-Verdict-in-Copyright-Trial
Novelist Timothy J. Levi sues Fox, ‘Empire’ creator Lee Daniels, and other show producers for $1.5 billion in damages; the defendants allegedly infringed on Levi’s rights to the show’s concept, after Levi shared his 2007 manuscript with an attorney, whom supposedly copied and shared it with “Empire’ producers before the show premiered in 2015.
By Linda Ge. The Wrap.
www.thewrap.com/empire-producers-fox-sued-for-1-5-billion-for-copyright-infringement
The hip-hop mogul’s company faces $5M copyright suit by band who claims that Tidal’s self-proclaimed ‘pro-artist’ service actually doesn’t pay royalties and intentionally miscalculates royalty rates.
By Kia Kokalitcheva. Fortune.
Startup firm Just3DPrint searches 3D-model design site Thingiverse, and creates and posts 3D items for sale on eBay, in direct violation of the 3D designers’ noncommercial-use stipulations.
By John Biggs. TechCrunch.
The studios allege that the crowdfunded movie ‘Anaxar’ infringes on many copyrighted features of the ‘Star Trek’ franchise, while the film’s attorneys contend that the movie actually helps the ‘Star Trek’ brand.
By Blanche Johnson. Fox News.
The 2 mega-hit crooners are accused of infringing on a music publisher’s rights to the 1969 disco-hit song “A New Day is Here At Last,” in the duo’s similar-sounding pop song “Damn Girl,” featured in Timberlake’s 2006 album “Futuresex/Lovesounds.”
By Naja Rayne. People.
www.people.com/article/justin-timberlake-will-i-am-sued-for-copyright-infringement
Music publisher Warner/Chappell Music agrees to terminate its copyright to the world’s most popular song, for a lawsuit settlement of $14M, putting “Happy Birthday to You” into the public domain for all to use freely, subject to approval by a Los Angeles federal court.
By Eriq Gardner. The Hollywood Reporter.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/warner-music-pays-14-million-863120
