Commercial Law & Contracts › Civil Remedies › Art, Entertainment & Sports Law

Game Developer’s Conduct Justified Granting Publisher a Permanent Royalty-Free License

On April 9, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit issued an order upholding an arbitration award against a video game developer and granting a publisher a perpetual license in the developer’s game due to the...more

US v. Pokerstars, et. al. (Lederer)

STIPULATION AND ORDER OF SETTLEMENT IN REGARD TO HOWARD LEDERER

STIPULATION AND ORDER OF SETTLEMENT IN REGARD TO HOWARD LEDERER [SDNY Court Clerk Summary]: IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED, ORDERED AND AGREED, by and between Plaintiff United States of America, by its attorney Preet Bharara,...more

IP/Entertainment Law Weekly Case Update for Motion Picture Studios and Television Networks -- December 12, 2012

In This Issue: Celador Int’l Inc. v. American Broadcasting Companies, Inc., USCA Ninth Circuit, December 3, 2012 (unpublished opinion): Ninth Circuit upholds $269 million jury award against ABC and other Disney...more

Music Mogul Must pay $1 Million Reward for Lost Laptop

For many of us, our whole life is on our laptop. And if it were lost, we would give anything to get it back. That’s how music producer and singer-songwriter Ryan Leslie felt when he lost a bag containing his MacBook,...more

US v. Pokerstars, et. al. (Rafael Furst)

STIPULATION AND ORDER OF SETTLEMENT IN REGARD TO RAFAEL FURST AND TELAMONIAN AJAX TRUST

STIPULATION AND ORDER OF SETTLEMENT IN REGARD TO RAFAEL FURST AND TELAMONIAN AJAX TRUST [SDNY CourtClerk Summary]: The Claimants agree to forfeit to the United States all funds in the Trust Account (the "Trust Account...more

IP/Entertainment Law Weekly Case Update for Motion Picture Studios and Television Networks -- November 16, 2012

Table of Contents: Muller v. Anderson, USCA Second Circuit, November 8, 2012 (unpublished opinion) - Circuit court affirms summary judgment in favor of producers and creators of motion picture Alien v. Predator,...more

Is A Race Entry a Contract?

Originally published in Runner's World on November 6, 2012. As do most races, the New York City Marathon has a stated policy that registrants are not due refunds, even in the event of cancellation. While runners wait to...more

Weekly Law Resume - October 18, 2012: Tolling Agreements vs. Statute of Limitations Waivers

Don Johnson Productions, Inc. v. Rysher Entertainment California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District Code of Civil Procedure Section 360.5 allows parties to waive the statute of limitations if the parties follow...more

Exhibition's (Movie Theater) Contract In Release of Motion Picture

Exhibitors play a rather instrumental role in bringing to audiences a movie and fulfilling financial and artistic aspirations of makers of a motion picture. Nonetheless, much is discussed about making movies and the legal...more

IP/Entertainment Law Weekly Case Update for Motion Picture Studios and Television Networks -- October 10, 2012

Table of Contents: - Mena v. Fox Entertainment Group District court grants defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s copyright-infringement action, finding no substantial similarity between plaintiff’s copyrighted...more

Wrongful Termination Claim Too Desperate for Ex-Desperate Housewives Star

A California appellate court recently rejected an attempt by Desperate Housewives star, Nicollette Sheridan, to sue for wrongful termination in violation of public policy when Touchstone failed to renew her contract past...more

IP/Entertainment Law Weekly Case Update for Motion Picture Studios and Television Networks -- August 9, 2012

Table of Contents: - Flava Works, Inc. v. Gunter: Seventh Circuit vacates preliminary injunction against social bookmarking site myVidster, finding that plaintiff Flava Works was not likely to succeed on its claim...more

Toeing the Line: Ohio’s Internet Sweepstakes Cafes

Internet Sweepstakes Cafés have been active throughout Ohio since 2010. These establishments offer customers the opportunity to play slot-style computer games online. Potential winnings include more Internet time and...more

Department of Justice Enters Historic Agreement with Poker Stars, Full Tilt Poker

Full Tilt Poker, Poker Stars, and the U.S. Department of Justice announced today that Poker Stars will acquire Full Tilt Poker’s assets in a transaction that ends the DOJ’s civil forfeiture case against Full Tilt. Both Full...more

Re-Employed After 2 Weeks, Employee Gets 6 Months: Mitigation did not Apply to Contractual Notice Clause

The Ontario Court of Appeal has held that an employee who found a new job after two weeks was entitled to the full six months’ pay in lieu of notice under his written employment contract because the principle of “mitigation”...more

Recapturing Copyrights: How the Village People’s Policeman Laid Down the Law

Thousands of musicians dream about the moment they will ink their first record deal. For the lucky few who break into the music industry, they are quickly ushered back to reality when, at the time of their “big break,” they...more

Text Message Complaint Against Sports Team Highlights Risks Associated with Using New Media to Interact with Fans

Most major sports teams invite fans to receive text message alerts about breaking news, player trades, scores, etc. Teams often use these services to collect information about their fans and to promote products and events....more

Music Law Weekly Case Update for Music Industry Executives - May 16, 2012

In this issue: - Scorpio Music S.A. v. Willis, USDC S.D. California, May 7, 2012 District court dismisses music publishers’ declaratory judgment action challenging the validity of co-author’s unilateral notice of...more

Three Point Shot - May 2012

In This Issue: - Selling the Shirt off Tim Tebow’s Back Requires a License...1 - I See Your True Colors Shining Through ...2 - Pretty Boy’s Right of Publicity Lawsuit Ain’t Pretty, Says World Wrestling...more

IP/Entertainment Law Weekly Case Update for Motion Picture Studios and Television Networks - May 16, 2012

Table of Contents: - Greenspan v. Random House, Inc. - Scorpio Music S.A. v. Willis - Dash v. Mayweather...more

I Know What You Watched Last Summer

The Northern District of California continues the series begun by the Seventh Circuit in Sterk v. Redbox Automated Retail LLC, against class actions brought under the federal Video Privacy Protection Act and seeking lucrative...more

A Stern Warning: Words Do Matter

I think it’s pretty clear that the legal world does not always jibe with the real world (and especially not The Real World: Cancun). Take capitalization for instance. In the real world, it doesn’t mean much. In fact, based...more

Lottery Pool Members Win Big: Jury Divides Winnings in Absence of Written Agreement

Several members of a New Jersey “lottery pool” won big when a jury recently awarded them $20 million. The co-workers played the lottery as a pool and filed a lawsuit after they belatedly discovered the winning member hid that...more

IP/Entertainment Law Weekly Case Update for Motion Picture Studios and Television Networks- March 29, 2012

McGee v. Andre Benjamin 3000, USDC D. Massachusetts, March 20, 2012 District Court finds that plaintiff failed to establish probative similarities in the protectable elements of his treatment for an animated television...more

Three Point Shot - March 2012

In This Issue: - Can Adults Keep the “Brew” in Brewskee-Ball?...1 - Does Bikram Yoga’s Founder Need to Learn to Be More Flexible? ...2 - International Soccer Star Regains Complete Control, with No Penalties,...more