On Tuesday, October 26, 2021, Cleveland Roller Derby filed suit against the Cleveland Guardians Baseball Company, LLC, which is the entity formerly known as the Cleveland Indians Baseball Company, over its intent to rebrand the baseball team as the Cleveland Guardians. According to Cleveland Roller Derby’s complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, there cannot be two Cleveland Guardian teams in Cleveland, and it was the first. As a result, it is seeking an injunction precluding the baseball team from using the trademark. According to Cleveland Roller Derby, a non-profit entity, despite being valued at over $1 billion, the baseball team is trying to bulldoze the roller derby team’s superior trademark rights to the Guardians name.
Continue Reading Baseball Versus Roller Derby – Cleveland’s Battle for the Guardians Trademark

In this episode of the Briefing by the IP Law BlogScott Hervey and Josh Escovedo provide an update on a copyright lawsuit against model Emily Ratajkowski, for sharing images taken of her by paparazzi on her social media accounts.
Continue Reading The Briefing by the IP Law Blog: This Lawsuit Could Change Paparazzi Mood Forever – An Update on the Ratajkowski / Paparazzi Copyright Lawsuit

As Scott Hervey mentioned on the IP Law Blog, a much-anticipated copyright reversion case involving the slasher franchise, Friday the 13th was decided. In this episode of the Briefing by the IP Law Blog, Scott and Josh Escovedo dive deeper into the lawsuit.
Continue Reading The Briefing by the IP Law Blog: A Spooky Copyright Decision for Producers of Friday the 13th Franchise

On September 30, 2021, the United State Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit decided a much-anticipated copyright reversion case involving the slasher franchise, Friday the 13th.  This case concerns the claim for copyright reversion made by Victor Miller, the screenwriter of Friday the 13th, seeking the reversion to the rights in the screenplay to the popular horror film.  The case is aptly entitled Horror Inc v. Victor Miller.
Continue Reading Producer’s Copyright of Friday the 13th Screenplay Slashed In Screenwriter’s Termination Lawsuit