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Bad Bunny Denied Reimbursement for Legal Fees in Copyright Infringement Case

Bad Bunny Denied Reimbursement for Legal Fees in Copyright Infringement Case

Bad Bunny Denied Reimbursement for Legal Fees in Copyright Infringement Case
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Law Firms Appeal Exclusion from $101 Million Attorney's Fee Award in Anthropic Copyright Settlement

Law Firms Appeal Exclusion from $101 Million Attorney's Fee Award in Anthropic Copyright Settlement

Two law firms, Edelson and Oppenheim + Zebrak, have appealed to the Ninth Circuit after being excluded from a $101 million attorney's fee award. This award was part of a larger $1.5 billion copyright settlement generated from Anthropic PBC. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California restricted the fee award solely to court-approved class counsel, Susman Godfrey and Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein. This decision effectively cut out Edelson and Oppenheim + Zebrak, despite their involvement in securing the substantial settlement. The exclusion follows a prior admonishment from Judge William Alsup, who, before his retirement, criticized plaintiffs' counsel for an initial $300 million fees request that improperly included $75 million for work done by the two appealing firms and Cowan DeBaets.
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Justice Gretchen Walsh Dismisses Summary Judgment Motion Due to Insufficient Notice in Westchester County

Justice Gretchen Walsh Dismisses Summary Judgment Motion Due to Insufficient Notice in Westchester County

On August 6, 2026, Justice Gretchen Walsh of the Westchester County Commercial Division denied a plaintiff's motion for summary judgment in lieu of complaint and subsequently dismissed the action without prejudice. The case, Gonzalez v. Marte, Index No. 63818/2026, involved a plaintiff alleging that the defendant failed to pay the balance on a $530,000 promissory note related to the sale of the plaintiff's shares in a restaurant corporation. The defendant did not appear or oppose the motion. However, the Court ruled that the motion had been 'short-served.' According to CPLR 3213, a plaintiff must provide a minimum time for the motion to be heard, aligning with CPLR 320(a) for making an appearance. In this instance, service was effectuated under CPLR 308(2), requiring the defendant to appear within 30 days after service was complete. Service is considered complete 10 days after the affidavit of service is filed, meaning the defendant should have had at least 40 days from May 28, 2026, to respond, setting a ...
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AI Music Companies Udio and GRAI License Patents from UMG-Backed Music IP Holdings

AI Music Companies Udio and GRAI License Patents from UMG-Backed Music IP Holdings

AI Music Companies Udio and GRAI License Patents from UMG-Backed Music IP Holdings
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Texas Court Reduces Alex Jones' Sandy Hook Judgment to $1.5 Million

Texas Court Reduces Alex Jones' Sandy Hook Judgment to $1.5 Million

A Texas court has significantly reduced the $50 million judgment against Infowars founder Alex Jones to $1.5 million. This decision stems from a lawsuit filed by Sandy Hook parents Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, who sued Jones for falsely claiming the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax. The Texas Third Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the parents did not present sufficient evidence to exceed the state's $750,000 cap on damages. This ruling marks a partial legal victory for Jones, though it does not impact a separate $1.4 billion judgment against him in Connecticut. Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems, are currently undergoing bankruptcy proceedings.
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Texas Court Reduces Alex Jones' $50 Million Sandy Hook Judgment to $6 Million

Texas Court Reduces Alex Jones' $50 Million Sandy Hook Judgment to $6 Million

A Texas court has reduced a $50 million judgment against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, owed to families of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, to approximately $6 million. The Texas Third Court of Appeals, in a unanimous decision, cited state laws limiting lawsuit damages as the reason for the reduction. This ruling specifically impacts the judgment awarded to Sandy Hook parents Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, slashing over $45 million in punitive damages down to $1.5 million to comply with the state's $750,000 cap per plaintiff. The court maintained over $4.1 million in compensatory damages. This decision does not affect a separate $1.25 billion judgment against Jones in Connecticut, where he was also found liable for defamation and emotional distress. Jones, who has faced significant financial verdicts leading to bankruptcy, continues to appeal the case, calling the Texas ruling a "gigantic victory for the First Amendment."
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Advocates Demand Federal Investigation into AI Giants' Mass Book Acquisition and Destruction

Advocates Demand Federal Investigation into AI Giants' Mass Book Acquisition and Destruction

Advocates Demand Federal Investigation into AI Giants' Mass Book Acquisition and Destruction
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Metal Band Demon Hunter Sues Netflix Over 'KPop Demon Hunters' Trademark Infringement

Metal Band Demon Hunter Sues Netflix Over 'KPop Demon Hunters' Trademark Infringement

Metal Band Demon Hunter Sues Netflix Over 'KPop Demon Hunters' Trademark Infringement
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Lady Gaga Prevails in Trademark Lawsuit Over 'Mayhem' Album Name

Lady Gaga Prevails in Trademark Lawsuit Over 'Mayhem' Album Name

Lady Gaga Prevails in Trademark Lawsuit Over 'Mayhem' Album Name
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University of Chicago Law Professor Randy Picker Remembered for Contributions to Competition and Copyright Law

University of Chicago Law Professor Randy Picker Remembered for Contributions to Competition and Copyright Law

University of Chicago Law School professor Randy Picker has passed away, leaving behind a significant legacy in the fields of competition law, copyright, and entertainment. His colleague, Saul Levmore, highlighted Picker's unique approach to legal scholarship, which involved delving into the intricate details of firm and industry success and failure, particularly focusing on the role of law in their trajectories. Picker meticulously studied the legal cases against dominant firms like AT&T and IBM, examining how government intervention and legal attacks contributed to their eventual decline. He was known for his Socratic method, posing compelling questions rather than always providing definitive answers, and for his innovative application of law-and-economics to legal history. His work also explored the evolution of antitrust law and its changing perception of firm success and size, noting its current manifestation in the European Union.
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Former Fauci Adviser Pleads Guilty to Concealing COVID-19 Research Records

Former Fauci Adviser Pleads Guilty to Concealing COVID-19 Research Records

Dr. David Morens, a former senior adviser to infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the U.S. government by plotting to conceal federal records related to research on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Morens entered his plea in Greenbelt, Maryland, and is scheduled for sentencing on November 12 by U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis. The felony charge carries a maximum prison sentence of five years. According to the Justice Department, Morens used his private email account to intentionally circumvent public records laws while employed at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). He is accused of concealing or destroying records of discussions pertinent to COVID-19 research grants, including efforts to revive a controversial coronavirus grant. This indictment follows an investigation by House Republicans into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, which scrutinized Morens’ email communications and alleged intentional concealment of rec...
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Federal Court Sets January 2027 Hearing for John Deere's $99 Million Right-to-Repair Settlement

Federal Court Sets January 2027 Hearing for John Deere's $99 Million Right-to-Repair Settlement

A federal court in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has set a fairness hearing for January 19, 2027, to consider final approval of John Deere's proposed $99 million right-to-repair settlement. This settlement is part of an ongoing class-action lawsuit filed by farmers across the country who alleged that John Deere restricted their ability to repair their own equipment. The court issued an amended order of preliminary approval, stating that the settlement is "fair, reasonable, adequate and in the best interests of the settlement class." The class is expected to include over 200,000 members who purchased repair services from John Deere or its authorized U.S. dealers between January 10, 2018, and May 18, 2026. The deadline for notifying the settlement class is August 28, 2026, with objections due by December 4, 2026, and claim forms by December 31, 2026.