While iconic catchphrases from TV and film can hold significant equity, protection of them can be spotty. Scott Hervey and Tara Sattler talk about the protectability of short phrases on this archive episode of The Briefing.

Watch this episode on the Weintraub YouTube channel or listen to this podcast episode here.

In 1991, the grunge band, Nirvana, was one of the most popular musical acts in the U.S. with its anthem Smells Like Teen Spirit, which was featured on its album, Nevermind. Many will remember the cover of Nevermind that featured a naked baby swimming underwater and reaching for a dollar bill on a fishing hook. Three months after its release, Nevermind rose to the top of the Billboard 200 rankings and has sold over 30 million copies. The picture on the album was licensed for use on other merchandise, such as t-shirts, and was also the subject of various parodies. Now, 30 years later, Nirvana, its surviving members, and its record companies face a civil lawsuit for distributing child pornography by the now-grown man who was depicted on the album cover.

Continue Reading Nirvana Stuck in Lawsuit Over Nevermind Album Cover

In the case of Martinez v. Zoom Info Technologies, the Ninth Circuit addressed the “Public Interest” exemption to California’s anti-SLAPP law. Scott Hervey and James Kachmar talk about this case on this episode of The Briefing.

Watch this episode on the Weintraub YouTube channel and listen to this podcast episode here.

Weintraub Tobin’s Intellectual Property podcast, The Briefing, published nearly 50 episodes this year covering a variety of IP issues relating to trademark, copyright, and entertainment law. As we look back, we want to share The Briefing’s most popular episodes in 2023.

Continue Reading Year in Review: The Briefing’s Top 3 Podcast Episodes in 2023

Country singer Andy Stone, A.K.A Vince Vance, has renewed his lawsuit against Mariah Carey, which claims that her holiday hit ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ infringes the copyright of his song with the same name. Scott Hervey and Tara Sattler discuss this case on this episode of The Briefing.

Continue Reading The Briefing: Merry Litigation – All I Want for Christmas is a Copyright Infringement Lawsuit