by Edwin F. McPherson | Aug 12, 2019
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that it was just one case. They said that it would not affect other cases. Many said that it was an outlier. Well, they were wrong. The “Blurred Lines case” is alive…
by Pierre B. Pine | Feb 21, 2019
A federal district court recently declared screenwriter Victor Miller the sole owner of the copyright in the screenplay to the original “Friday the 13th” film. The original “Friday the 13th” film, released in 1980, was a huge box office success,…
by Edwin F. McPherson | Feb 7, 2019
On March 10, 2015, the music world was stunned when a jury in Federal District Court in Los Angeles rendered a verdict in favor of the heirs of Marvin Gaye against Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke, who, along with rapper…
by Edwin F. McPherson | Sep 9, 2016
Last year, a jury handed down a $7.4 million verdict against songwriters Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams in a much-watched copyright lawsuit over their hit “Blurred Lines.” The jury found that the song infringed the copyright of Marvin Gaye’s “Got…
by Pierre B. Pine | Jul 23, 2014
The 1976 Copyright Act went into effect on January 1, 1978. The Act provided authors (and some heirs, beneficiaries, and representatives) with the right to terminate prior grants of their copyrights under certain conditions and within specific timeframes.1 Beginning...
by Edwin F. McPherson | Dec 28, 2011
The ongoing war between Mattel, Inc. (“Mattel”) and MGA Entertainment, Inc. (“MGA”) over the very successful Bratz dolls was going extremely well for Mattel, the maker of the decades-famous Barbie and Ken dolls. In fact, Mattel had won virtually every…
by Edwin F. McPherson | Jun 27, 2006
I represent artists in the music industry, the vast majority of whom write their own music (and some for others). It is for this reason that I am particularly sensitive about artists’ and songwriters’ rights. It is also for this…
