The race for Mandeville-Anthony was over before it even began. In March of this year, Plaintiff sued Disney and Pixar alleging that the Cars and Cars 2 animated motion pictures infringed his copyrights. Also, Plaintiff claimed that Disney and Pixar stole his idea for the motion pictures from his work…
Jewelry designer Sonya Frisina does business as Sonya Ooten and has a retail store in Los Angeles. Ooten owns U.S. Design Patent No. D544,389, titled “Metal Crochet Earring,” covering the ornamental jewelry design. There is often overlap with different forms of intellectual property and Ootent, to maximize protection, also registered…
Tacori suffered another loss in its continuing copyright and trade dress infringement lawsuit against rival jewelry designer Scott Kay. The Court previously denied Tacori’s ex-parte application for a temporary restraining order, but that did not deter Tacori’s attempts to prevent Scott Kay’s sales of its Heaven’s Gate jewelry collection. Not…
The “Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000 Movie” is based on the popular “Warhammer 40,000” table-top war game. The movie is a science-fantasy action thriller set in the future where genetically enhanced super-warriors battle aliens to protect mankind. But in the present, a legal battle has commenced regarding distribution rights to the…
Los Angeles, CA – This “Sonic The Hedgehog” video game copyright infringement claim appears to arise from an independent contractor’s contributions that were not properly acquired by or assigned to Sega. If you don’t have a written agreement with an independent contractor, for example your website designer, the independent contractor…
Los Angeles, CA – Marge Carson, Inc.’s furniture copyright infringement case, originally filed in North Carolina, has been transferred to the Central District of California via stipulation of the parties after a jurisdictional spat. Now that the procedural issues have been addressed, the focus can turn the substance of Marge’s…
Los Angeles, CA – Inhale, Inc. filed a copyright infringement suit against Starbuzz Tobacco for allegedly copying Inhale’s hookah water pipe’s three-dimensional design. Smoking device designs are apparently a hotbed of intellectual property where, “as a result of its endeavors, Inhale has created and owns valuable intellectual property in the…
San Diego, CA – Ron Voss is suing Gillette and EA Sports for copyright infringement and unfair competition, but judging from the facts of the case, he should have asserted an idea submission or an implied in fact contract claim. People mistakenly believe that a copyright registration protects the “idea”…
San Diego, CA – Brighton Collectibles designs and manufactures fashion accessories, including a watch sold under the Laguna trademark. Brighton registered the copyright in its Laguna watch design in March of 2000. Defendant Pedre Watch Company is accused of making a less expensive imitation. As a result, Brighton claims that…
Santa Ana, CA — The jury in the Mattel v. MGA battle over the Bratz dolls determined that MGA did not infringe any copyrights and did not steal the idea or concept from Mattel. Instead, the jury has awarded at least $88.5 million to MGA for Mattel’s misappropriation of MGA’s…