A California-based attorney has been ordered by the Ninth Circuit to personally pay over $100,000 in legal fees following the unsuccessful litigation of a purported copyright-infringement concerning a PowerPoint presentation. The court confirmed the ruling of a federal judge in California indicating either the refusal of the lawyer to present the supposed infringed materials, or the deliberate continuing of the lawsuit when it became obvious that the professed infringing works did not in reality exist.
The court’s decision brings to light the importance of substantiating claims of alleged copyright infringements to show valid reasons for litigation. Attorneys must ensure that they have compelling evidence before bringing such cases to court. Legal professionals must take note of this development to evade unnecessary court costs and legal fees tied to inadequately substantiated copyright claims.
For readers interested in acquiring further specifics surrounding this case, you are encouraged to familiarize yourself with the full court decision via an article available on Law360.