8:00 AM - 7:00 PM EST

Open Monday - Friday

(800) 979-3707

Call Us For Free Consultation

Facebook

Twitter

Search
Free Evaluation
logo
Free Evaluation
mobile logo
 

Articles

Read our expertly written blog
Sanders Law Group >  Articles
11 February 2021
Sticky

Chapman v. Minaj Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

11 February 2021
Posted by Blog User
in Blog
depositphotos 65123017 xl 2015

Tracy Chapman v. Nikki Minaj: Copyright Infringement Involving Unpublished Minaj Song The music industry is, without question, one of the most copyright lawsuit-ridden industries in the US. For the past couple of years, the legal world had seen some exciting--and most likely, frustrating--legal developments in the industry, so much so that one industry expert is beginning to claim that copyright lawsuits are now scaring away new hits. Whether real or not, the fact is that we are currently more likely to lean on the former than on the latter and the case of Nicki Minaj versus Tracy Chapman works to...

Continue reading
08 February 2021
Sticky

Hot Copyright Issues in 2021

08 February 2021
Posted by Blog User
in Blog
depositphotos 326973666 xl 2015

Copyright Issues that may Change Copyright Law as We Know It Without a doubt, we are at the precipice of a digital and internet revolution. The year 2020 gave us a pandemic that not only changed our lives and the way we usually do things but also paved the way for the internet to transform in ways we could not have imagined. Now it is 2021, and it seems like the surprises keep coming. As copyright infringement lawyers and creative artists, we can try to prepare for some of the potential changes ahead, especially those that might affect our communities...

Continue reading
19 January 2021
Sticky

Senator Considers Revisions to DMCA to Help Stop Copyright Infringement

19 January 2021
Posted by Blog User
in Copyright
depositphotos 38921663 xl 2015

DCMA Takedown Notices Help Photographers Protect Copyrighted Pictures Almost everyone who uses the Internet has heard of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, but not everyone truly understands how it impacts them - especially copyright holders or content creators like photographers. At least one Senator wants to make changes to the Act to make it even easier for creative artists to invoke copyright protections. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, or more commonly known as the DMCA, was enacted in 1998 as a way to protect copyright holders while simultaneously enabling people to use copyrighted material under the fair use rule of...

Continue reading
13 January 2021
Sticky

Nirvana v. Marc Jacobs Copyright Infringement Case Rages On

13 January 2021
Posted by Blog User
in Blog
depositphotos 22119437 xl 2015

Nirvana V. Marc Jacobs - A Copyright Infringement Battle and The Smiley Face That Started It The ongoing copyright battle between designer Marc Jacobs and rock band Nirvana has yet to come to a close. Jacobs recently countersued Nirvana, LLC, claiming that the copyright it claims to hold, is invalid. The original lawsuit in question was filed in 2018 by Nirvana against Jacobs. The lawsuit emanated from Jacobs' "Bootleg Redux Grunge" clothing collection featuring a design that looks similar to what has become the iconic Nirvana X-eye smiley face. Jacobs replaced the eyes of said smiley with Jacobs' initials and...

Continue reading
08 January 2021
Sticky

Photographer Filed Copyright Infringement Against Bleacher Report

08 January 2021
Posted by Blog User
in Blog
depositphotos 76534437 xl 2015

Understanding Copyright Law and How You Can Protect your Work On August 20, 2020, Professional Sports Photographer Howard Shatz filed a case against the sports website Bleacher Report for allegedly using his photographs without his permission. Shatz claimed that the website, through the persons, groups, or corporations comprising the same, copied and reproduced his exclusive photographs, putting them up on their website without any form of recognition or attribution as to his name or ownership. Shatz claimed that Bleacher Report also tried to conceal the fact that they violated his copyright. As of this date, Shatz's case is still pending...

Continue reading
05 January 2021
Sticky

Eddy Grant Sues Trump Campaign For Unauthorized Use of Song

05 January 2021
Posted by Blog User
in Copyright
depositphotos 25280943 xl 2015

Eddy Grant Filed Copyright Complaint After President Trump Used His Song in Campaign Video Copyright attaches to works of creative art, including photographs, paintings, books, and music. In fact, music is one of the most infringed-upon art forms on the Internet and elsewhere. In September 2020, musician/singer Eddy Grant filed a copyright complaint regarding a video tweeted by President Donald Trump. The campaign video featured Grant's hit 80s song "Electric Avenue." According to Twitter, the video has been taken down in keeping with its copyright policy. According to Brian Caplan, Grant's lawyer, the video's removal does not lessen the damages...

Continue reading
31 December 2020
Sticky

Photographer Sued Diesel and Terry Richardson Over Alleged Copyright Infringement

31 December 2020
Posted by Blog User
in Blog
depositphotos 78296334 xl 2015

Photographer Sued Diesel and Terry Richardson Over Alleged Copyright Infringement There is a fine line between inspiration and plain old theft - especially when it comes to photography and pictures. Haleigh Nickerson, a photographer, digital artist and a woman of color based in Los Angeles, sued Diesel and Terry Richardson for willful copyright infringement. In 2016, Nickerson created her "Sista Soulja" image, which was subsequently included in an LA art show. The picture was featured along with other similarly themed images under the title "Girls Who Dance in Dissonance." All the images show a woman of color in front of...

Continue reading
27 November 2020
Sticky

Man Sues Netflix for Using is Photography on “Stranger Things”

27 November 2020
Posted by Blog User
in Blog
man sues netflix

UK Photographer Sues Netflix For Using His Photo on Hit Series "Stranger Things" Sean R. Heavey was watching Stranger Things on Netflix when he saw a cloud that looked utterly familiar - similar to a supercell thunderstorm that he shot across the Montana prairie in 2010. It appeared that Heavey's photo was used to create a scene on the hit show and was even used as concept art by the crew. When Heavey wrote to Netflix, the company, through its lawyer Jarin Jackson, informed him that the cloud in the photo was not protected by any copyright, stating that the...

Continue reading
27 November 2020
Sticky

Houston Photographer Filed a Copyright Lawsuit Against NFL Star for Posting on Instagram

27 November 2020
Posted by Blog User
in Blog
shutterstock 566449900

Photographer Sues Deshaun Watson for Copyright Infringement on Instagram Be careful of what you post on Instagram - even if the subject of the photo is you. Deshaun Watson, the quarterback for the Houston Texans, is learning this the hard way. A Houston-based freelance photographer has sued Watson for the alleged unauthorized use of his photos. The lawsuit stems from Watson's posting of pictures of himself on Instagram- photos that another person took. Watson had not secured permission to use those photographs. Aaron Sprecher, an independent contributor to The Associated Press, said that Watson infringed on his copyright when Watson...

Continue reading
19 November 2020
Sticky

Copyright Lawyers Help Photographers and Others Understand DMCA

19 November 2020
Posted by Blog User
in Blog
depositphotos 232198056 xl 2015

How Does the DMCA Affect Photographers' and Creative Professionals' Copyrights? You have surely seen the letters "DMCA" somewhere when you were buying music, downloading a movie from the Internet, or even while uploading your own work to an online platform. It is not surprising, considering that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) covers the use of copyrighted materials online. The DMCA was enacted in 1998 to address issues related to copyright in the growing community of online platforms and ultimately protect copyright holders in today's fast-paced technology-filled world. The DMCA is a US law that implements various intellectual property treaties...

Continue reading