Court Says Open Source Licenses Can Be Enforced
A federal court in Northern California has denied a request to dismiss a lawsuit involving the alleged infringement of an "open source" software license....
Intellectual Property
"Spinal Tap" Lawsuit Shines a Light on "Hollywood Accounting"
Hollywood accounting refers to financial practices that can make movies that earn hundreds of millions of dollars somehow end up with zero profits – or even a loss....
Sons Fight over Audrey Hepburn’s Gowns and Image
The late movie star Audrey Hepburn was known for her beauty and glamour....
Paul McCartney Goes to Court to Reclaim Beatles Copyrights
Sir Paul McCartney is taking steps to reclaim ownership of the copyrights to Beatles songs that were signed away decades ago....
Louis Vuitton Loses Cases over Parody Tote Bags
What's piracy and what's parody?...
Court Rules that Online Streaming Services Do Not Qualify for Cheap Cable License Rights
The Ninth Circuit has reversed a federal judge's decision that online streaming services should be considered the equivalent of cable networks and thus entitled to cheap compulsory licenses of copyrig...
The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Movie Posters, and Public Domain
A long-running dispute over art from vintage movie poster has finally ended with a victory for the Warner Bros. movie studio....
Can You “Own” the Color White? The Trademark Board Says “Yes”
When most people think of trademarks, they probably think about the Nike "swoosh," or the word "Reebok." But trademarks can be much more than just words and symbols....
Startup Olaplex Alleges L'Oréal Knocked Off Its Products
The California startup Olaplex has sued L'Oréal, alleging that the U.S. unit of the French company, home to brands such as Lancôme and Kiehl's, copied an award-winning hair product and its relat...
Ninth Circuit Says Sims Flash Drive Design May Be Eligible for Copyright
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that a flash drive design based on a symbol that appears in The Sims video game might be original enough to qualify for copyright protection....
Golden Girls Puppet Parody Leads To Lawsuit
A dispute over rival Golden Girls puppet parodies has led to the filing of a lawsuit....
Judge Dismisses Post-it Note Inventor Lawsuit
Alan Amron filed a lawsuit against 3M in January, arguing that the company breached its previous agreement to not take credit for inventing post-its. He sought $400 million in damages. U.S. District ...
When is an Internet Service Provider Responsible for Bit Torrent Piracy?
For the most part internet service providers (ISP) are not responsible for their customers' piracy. But a recent case in Virginia involving Cox Communications proves that ISPs still maintain some resp...
Empire State Building Beats Beer Company in Trademark Dispute
In a recent decision, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) prohibited a beer maker from registering a trademark for beer that included an image of the Empire State Building....
Experts Testify in Stairway to Heaven Lawsuit, Led Zeppelin Wins
Led Zeppelin, one of the most influential bands in rock history, has often been accused of stealing its material. That might not mean much, as similar accusations are frequently leveled against succes...
Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Against Star Trek Fan Film Continues Despite Words from JJ Abrams
The company behind a recent Star Trek fan film faces a copyright lawsuit from the franchise's production company despite recent assurances from the producer behind the Star Trek rebirth that the case ...
Haircut Inventors get Trimmed in Court
Holly Brown, Ken Novak, and Kim Goellner applied for a patent for producing "consistent and reproducible hair styling designs" while "balancing head shape overall." The patent office rejected the appl...
Soft Porn Heiress’ Troubled Business
Yolanda Signorelli von Braunhut, the heiress and widow of genius inventor Harold von Braunhut – who created “Wonderful World of AMAZING Live Sea-Monkeys” has been fighting a legal battle for y...
The University of Kentucky Wants to Trademark the Word ‘Kentucky’
The University of Kentucky (UK) claims to have a trademark on any use of the word 'Kentucky' in any item of clothing. UK is now going after the Kentucky Mist Moonshine company because they wan...
Who Owns the Content Posted on Social Media?
Some businesses seem to think that just because a photo has been posted on Instagram or Twitter it’s free for the whole world to use.......
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