DC Comics and Trademark Parody
DC has registered a trademark for the shield design for products including “adults' and children's clothing, including t-shirts.” DC has also licensed the shield trademark for use on t-shirts, i...
Intellectual Property
Understanding Copyrights: Fair Use and “Who's on First”
The concept of “fair use” carves out an exception to the exclusive rights of copyright owners. As described on the Stanford University Libraries web page......
Judge Dismisses Case over Alleged Copying of Warcraft Characters
A federal judge in Northern California dismissed a complaint by the makers of World of Warcraft and other games alleging that mobile game developers had copied the games' characters....
Anne Frank Foundation Extends Copyright on Diary
Anne Frank became posthumously famous worldwide for the journal she kept while she and her family and friends were hiding from the Nazis in a “secret annex” in an office building. The foundation...
Artist Sues Restaurant for Ripping Off His Tattoo (Ouch!)
Are tattoos copyrightable? Who owns a tattoo, the tattoo artist or the person upon whom the tattoo is inked?...
The Case of the Dueling Dumplings: A Trade Secret Dispute
When most people think of trade secrets, they think high-tech — like the design of a new computer chip. But did you know that food and drinks can also be the subject of trade secret protection? Here...
Game Mods and Car Hacks Now Legal Under Copyright Law
The US Copyright Office (which is part of the Library of Congress) recently adopted new guidelines on types of activities that won't be considered illegal under US copyright law. Find out about the ga...
Holy Copyright Law, Batman! The Batmobile is a Protected Character
In 2011, DC Comics, now part of Warner Bros., sued Mark Towle, creator of famous car replicas from movies and TV, alleging infringement of DC's copyrights and trademarks in the Batmobile. Does copyrig...
Should It Be Legal to Sell Used Print Cartridges?
What if you could get sued for selling your used technology — your old cell phone, your flat-screen TV, or even your empty print cartridges? That possibility is being considered by the United States...
How Brands Like Google Try to Avoid Trademark Genericide
Google had a potential trademark embarrassment recently when it turned out the mark ALPHABET is already in use by carmaker BMW. Some have suggested that Google adopted the Alphabet name with a view to...
Judge Says EOS Lip Balm Case Should Go to Jury
A federal judge in Colorado refused to grant summary judgement for a competitor in a design patent infringement case involving the popular eos Smooth Sphere lip balm. The question is whether or not Or...
Can You Be Sued by Graffiti Artists for Painting Over Their Work?
A group of New York graffiti artists are suing a building owner for painting over their work. The artists allege that the property owner and his company whitewashed their work without giving them a fa...
What Do the Washington Redskins Have in Common with an Asian-American Rock Band?
A Federal Circuit court is going to take a second look at a case involving the Asian-American rock band The Slants. At issue in the next round is whether the band's trademark for the name was properly...
Learning About Intellectual Property Law from HBOs Silicon Valley
In addition to being extremely funny (for those who enjoy geek humor), HBO's Silicon Valley also provides a useful education in intellectual property law....
Seth MacFarlane Prevails in Copyright Infringement Suit over Ted Movie
Writer/performer Seth MacFarlane and Universal Pictures have prevailed in a lawsuit charging that they engaged in copyright infringement in connection with the 2012 hit movie Ted. In July 2014, Bengal...
Court Dismisses $3 Billion Claim by Heirs of Aunt Jemima
A federal judge in Illinois has dismissed a lawsuit seeking $3 billion in royalties filed by the great-grandchildren of an actress who played Aunt Jemima.rn...
Is Your Business Using Pirated Software?
Recently, the retail chain Forever 21 was sued by Adobe Systems, Autodesk, and Corel for alleged copyright infringement....
Using Copyright Law to Fight Revenge Porn
Lawyers are using an unexpected weapon to fight revenge porn: copyright law. A big California law firm has filed suit on behalf of a law student who had sexually explicit pictures of herself posted on...
Judge Rejects Joke Defense in Don Henley Trademark Case
A California federal judge refused to dismiss a trademark infringement lawsuit based on a play on words referring to musician Don Henley of the Eagles. Duluth Trading Co. ran ads for Henley shirts usi...
“Call of Duty’s” Trademark Use Protected by First Amendment
A California federal judge has ruled that the use of a trademarked military patch in the video game "Call of Duty" was protected speech under the First Amendment....
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