Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_19-cv-02500/USCOURTS-casd-3_19-cv-02500-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 820
Nature of Suit: Copyright
Cause of Action: 17:0101 Copyright Infringement (definitions)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FERNANDO “HORSEPAINTER”

PALOMINO,

Plaintiff,

vs.

THE EAGLES BAND OF CALIFORNIA, 

USA,

Defendant.

CASE NO. 19cv2500-LAB (KSC)

ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO 

PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS [Dkt. 

3];

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO 

APPOINT COUNSEL [Dkt. 2];

ORDER DISMISSING PLAINTIFF’S 

COMPLAINT WITHOUT PREJUDICE.

On December 31, 2019, Plaintiff Fernando Palomino brought this suit against “the 

Eagles Band of California USA” for copyright infringement. Pending before the Court is his 

petition to proceed in forma pauperis (“IFP”).

Palomino’s IFP application states that his average monthly income over the previous 

year was approximately $454. He is unemployed and has just $100 in his Chase checking 

account. The Court finds Palomino is unable to pay the filing fee, so his motion to proceed 

IFP is GRANTED. Dkt. 3. 

When a plaintiff is permitted to proceed IFP, the Court is required to screen the 

complaint, and dismiss it to the extent it is frivolous or malicious, fails to state a claim, or 

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seeks monetary relief from an immune defendant. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B); Lopez v. 

Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1127 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc). 

Liberally construed, Palomino’s complaint alleges that he is the original performer of 

a song entitled “How Many More Miles to Your Heart.” Sometime in 1989, he provided a 

recording of this song to the rock band the Eagles (or to someone affiliated with the band). 

The Eagles then proceeded to infringe Palomino’s work by using it as a basis for two of their

hit songs, “Matters of the Heart” and “Love Will Keep Us Alive.”

At this stage, Palomino has not stated a viable claim for copyright infringement. To 

prevail on a copyright infringement claim, a plaintiff must show that (1) he or she owns the 

copyright in the infringed work, and (2) the defendant copied protected elements of the 

copyrighted work. Williams v. Gaye, 895 F.3d 1106, 1119 (9th Cir. 2018). Chiefly because 

he has not provided the Court with any of the relevant recordings, Plaintiff has not plausibly 

demonstrated either of these elements. Without a copy of (or at least lyrics to) Palomino’s

original song and the allegedly infringing Eagles songs, the Court is unable to determine 

whether it is plausible that the works are “substantially similar.”

1

 Id. As such, Palomino’s

complaint is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE. If he believes he can fix these

deficiencies, perhaps by lodging with the Court the various recordings he references, he 

may file an amended complaint no later than March 3, 2020. For now, Palomino’s Motion 

to Appoint counsel is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE. The Court will revisit that 

determination if his amended complaint states a plausible claim for copyright infringement.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 2, 2020

HONORABLE LARRY ALAN BURNS

Chief United States District Judge

 

1 The Court leaves the statute of limitations issues presented by this case for another day. 

Although copyright infringement uses a “separate accrual” rule—meaning that the statute of 

limitations runs separately from each violation—it is not clear from Palomino’s pleading 

when the infringing conduct occurred most recently.

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