December 17, 2024

In a notable development from Texas, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP has been awarded $543,146.81 in legal fees following a successful trademark lawsuit. The firm had secured a $1.5 million judgment against the proprietors of a mediation business accused of appropriating its name. This decision was handed down by a Texas federal judge on…

Authors have taken legal action against OpenAI Inc., alleging that the company’s ChatGPT technology unlawfully copies their protected works. As part of this litigation, the authors have requested that a California federal judge compel OpenAI to provide documentation related to its ongoing development of large language models. OpenAI, however, contends that producing such information is…

Corteva Agriscience LLC has responded robustly to allegations from Inari Agriculture Inc. that a lawsuit concerning seed patent infringement is a “sham” and “objectively baseless.” Corteva criticized Inari for its “shrill assertions,” arguing that these claims are inconsistent with a prior ruling in the ongoing case. Inari’s accusation was met with Corteva’s insistence that their…

A former Georgia Tech professor recently found himself under legal scrutiny due to accusations stemming from an internal audit. The audit reportedly resulted in his indictment on racketeering charges. During court proceedings, the judge expressed a marked lack of sympathy towards the professor’s claims of being unfairly targeted, stating to the professor’s civil attorney that…

The U.S. Copyright Office has announced that the remaining segments of its report exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and copyright law will be released early next year. This update will further elaborate on the complexities and challenges posed by AI technologies in the context of copyright. Legal professionals, especially those specializing in technology…

The U.S. Department of Defense has announced new rules that significantly expand the data rights for small businesses participating in its research and development programs. These changes are aimed at improving these businesses’ ability to retain and leverage their proprietary data. Additionally, the rules now codify special provisions for architectural and engineering contracts, especially concerning…

A recent trademark dispute between an Italian winemaker and its Napa Valley, California, competitor over similarly named wines brings to light the complexities of trademark preclusion. A decision by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, subsequently upheld by a New York federal court, has been criticized by a notable trademark group. They argue that this…

A federal judge in Washington has made a significant ruling in a legal dispute between two toy companies concerning a Disney-branded card game. The court decided to narrow down the claims in a lawsuit that involves allegations of unfair competition and the improper inducement of a former contractor to switch allegiances. The case centers on…

Patent Quality Assurance LLC has recently disclosed the identities of its members to a Virginia federal court, following some initial resistance. Despite this disclosure, the company is actively seeking to keep this information under seal. The rationale provided by Patent Quality Assurance LLC is the potential for the suing company to “harass and smear” its…

A New York federal judge has sentenced a Canadian businessman to two years in prison following his guilty plea for aiding his Chinese business partner in utilizing trade secrets. These secrets were connected to his former employer, a company acquired by Tesla in 2019. The specifics of the charges outline that the businessman had been…

The reality TV tattoo artist Kat Von D is defending her position in a copyright lawsuit over a Miles Davis photograph at the Ninth Circuit Court. Von D argues that the photographer who initiated the legal action is overlooking “most of the facts” as they appeal the jury’s decision, which previously dismissed the copyright infringement…

A Florida bankruptcy judge has dismissed the Chapter 11 case of an entity associated with the Miss America pageant. The debtor in the case realized it did not possess any of the operations or liabilities pertaining to the competition. This development has shifted the ongoing debate regarding the ownership of pageant-related assets to a state…

A Mississippi federal judge has dismissed a copyright infringement lawsuit brought against University of Mississippi football coach Lane Kiffin. The suit challenged Kiffin over a social media post, which the plaintiff claimed infringed upon his copyright. However, the court criticized the plaintiff for treating the court system as a “traveling litigation show,” implying a habit…

In a significant development this year, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that copyright plaintiffs can now seek damages for periods exceeding the traditional three-year limit. This decision has sparked extensive discussions among legal professionals about the potential implications and duration of this new legal landscape. Additionally, the Second Circuit has delivered a ruling that…

NKT Photonics has encountered a setback in its legal battle as a Massachusetts federal judge has dismissed its attempt to evade claims of patent infringement. This allegation is part of a lawsuit filed by a company owned by a University of Michigan professor. This decision underscores the ongoing complexities and challenges in patent litigation faced…

In ongoing litigation, Stanford University’s trustees and three professors have petitioned a California federal court to dismiss trade secret theft allegations initiated by subsidiaries of F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG. The request for dismissal is based on the assertion that these claims are time-barred, as the companies had been aware of the alleged misappropriation for more…

SmartSky Networks LLC has initiated a lawsuit seeking over $1 billion in damages from Gogo Business Aviation LLC. The litigation claims that Gogo engaged in practices to obstruct SmartSky’s entry into the business flight internet service market. This legal action adds to an existing intellectual property dispute between the two companies. SmartSky alleges that Gogo’s…