Taking pictures of celebrities and other famous people is a full-time job for some people. The pictures they take can be worth quite a bit of money, so when someone uses one of their photos without permission, they may decide to fight back. It does not even matter to them if the subject in the photo is the one using it. For instance, Splash News and Picture Agency located in southern California recently filed a lawsuit against Jennifer Lopez, alleging that she violated copyright law.
Did Jennifer Lopez violate copyright law? Some paparazzi say yes
Some companies seem to blatantly commit patent infringement
One of the primary reasons for taking measures to protect intellectual property is to make sure no one else profits from the ideas of inventors here in California and elsewhere. For this reason, they go through the often painstaking process of applying for a patent, which is supposed to prevent others from using proprietary information. Unfortunately, some companies appear to blatantly commit patent infringement, which is now the assertion of iRobot against SharkNinja.
YouTubers could face blackmail re copyright infringement
The internet now provides a steady income for many people in California and across the country. Just a decade or so ago, no one would have thought that people could make hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars a year posting videos on YouTube. Now, there seem to be others out there who are trying to get popular channels shut down by claiming the owners commit copyright infringement.
How can you protect trade secrets?
As a California business owner, you likely have a trade secret or two to protect. We at Peterson Watts Law Group, LLP, are here to give you some ways that you can keep these secrets safe from would-be thieves.
California appeals court takes unusual step in copyright case
Five years ago, the trustee of the estate of a 1960s rock musician filed a lawsuit against members of the band Led Zeppelin, stating that their hit "Stairway to Heaven" infringed copyright by stealing its opening from an earlier song. During a 2016 trial, a jury found in favor of Led Zeppelin songwriters Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Claiming that the jury had not received proper instructions, an appellate court ordered a new trial. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California has since taken the unusual step to hear the case en banc. In other words, the full panel of 11 judges will hear the case in the interest of determining authorship of the song.
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