Table of Contents:

Clements v. Screen Gems, Inc.; Buggs v. Dreamworks, Inc.; and, Mattel, Inc. v. MGA Entertainment, Inc.

Clements v. Screen Gems, Inc., USDC C.D California, December 13, 2010

In a copyright infringement action, the court grants defendants’ motion for summary judgment, finding that the defendants’ film “Stomp the Yard” did not infringe plaintiff’s film “Steppin.”

Buggs v. Dreamworks, Inc., USDC C.D. California, December 28, 2010

Court grants summary judgment in favor of defendants in a copyright infringement action alleging that the defendants’ film “Flushed Away” infringed plaintiff’s copyrighted screenplay for “Critter Island,” finding that the two works were not substantially similar with respect to any protectable elements of the works.

Mattel, Inc. v. MGA Entertainment, Inc., USDC C.D. California, December 27, 2010

On remand, the district court denies both MGA’s and Mattel’s motions for summary judgment on the issue of copyright infringement of first generation Bratz dolls, and grants summary judgment to MGA on Mattel’s copyright infringement claim relating to most second generation Bratz dolls; the district court also denies both parties’ motions for summary judgment on the issue of whether Mattel’s confidentiality agreement applied to ideas.

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