IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA, EASTERN DIVISION

VIRGIN RECORDS AMERICA, )

INC., a California )

Company, et al., )

)

Plaintiffs, )

)

v. ) CIVIL ACTION NO. 

) 3:06cv631-MHT

RICKY WILLIAMS, ) (WO)

)

Defendant. )

OPINION

This cause is before the court on plaintiffs Virgin

Records America, Inc., Sony BMG Music Entertainment, UMG

Recordings, Inc., and BMG Music’s motion for entry of a

default judgment against defendant Ricky Williams.

The record in this case reflects that Williams was

served with a copy of the summons and complaint; that he

has failed to respond to the summons and complaint within

the time allowed; and that he has failed to respond to an

order of this court to show cause as to why final default

judgment should not be entered against him. 

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The plaintiffs charge Williams with six counts of

copyright infringement, pursuant to the Copyright Act, 17

U.S.C. §§ 101-1332, of the following sound recordings:

Copyright Owner Artist Recording Title Album Title

Virgin Records

America, Inc.

D’Angelo Untitled (How

Does It Feel)

Voodoo

Virgin Records

America, Inc.

Ideal Get Gone Ideal

Sony BMG Music

Entertainment

Dixie Chicks Goodbye Earl Fly

UMG Recordings,

Inc.

Mary J. Blige Missing You Share My World

BMG Music Alicia Keys A Woman’s Worth Songs in A Minor

UMG Recordings,

Inc.

Mary J. Blige I Don’t Want to

Do Anything

What’s The 411?

The plaintiffs seek the minimum statutory damages of

$ 750 for each of the six infringements alleged in the

complaint, for a total of $ 4,500.00. 17 U.S.C. § 504(a)

provides that “an infringer of copyright is liable for

... (2) statutory damages, as provided by subsection

(c).” Subsection (c)(1) of 17 U.S.C. § 504(c), in turn,

provides that “the copyright owner may elect, at any time

before final judgment is rendered, to recover, instead of

actual damages and profits, an award of statutory damages

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for all infringements involved in the action, with

respect to any one work ... in a sum of not less than

$ 750 or more than $ 30,000 as the court considers just.”

Courts routinely award minimum statutory damages (or

higher) as part of default judgments in copyright

infringement cases. See, e.g., Ortiz-Gonzalez v.

Fonovisa, 277 F.3d 59, 63-64 (1st Cir. 2000) (award of

greater than minimum statutory damages as part of default

judgment). Although a party may demand a jury

determination of the amount of statutory damages to be

awarded, Feltner v. Columbia Pictures Television, Inc.,

523 U.S. 340, 355(1998), here, because the plaintiffs

seek only the minimum statutory damages for each

violation, the law has eliminated any discretion as to

damages. See e.g.,Simpleville Music v. Mizell, ___

F.Supp.2d ____, ____, 2006 WL 2642106 *5-6 (M.D. Ala.

2006) (Thompson, J.) (because claimants had agreed to

accept minimum statutory damages of $ 750 per song and

because the number of infringing songs was known, making

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computation of damages simple, radio station owner, found

to have violated Copyright Act by playing copyrighted

songs without American Society of Composers, Authors and

Publishers authorization, was not entitled to hearing on

issue of damages). Consequently, no evidentiary hearing

is necessary, and the court will award statutory damages

in the amount of $ 4,500.00. Cf. Ortiz-Gonzalez, 277

F.3d at 63-64 (no hearing necessary even where greater

than minimum amount of statutory damages awarded). 

The plaintiffs also seek an injunction pursuant to 17

U.S.C. § 502. Section 502(a) specifically authorizes

this court to “grant ... final injunctions on such terms

as it may deem reasonable to prevent or restrain

infringement of a copyright.” See Pacific & Southern

Co., Inc. v. Duncan, 744 F.2d 1490, 1499 n.17 (11th Cir.

1984) (the Copyright Act authorizes an injunction “on

such terms as it may deem reasonable to prevent or

restrain infringement of a copyright"), cert. denied, 471

U.S. 1004 (1985). 

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Because, as far as the court can tell, Williams will

not stop infringing upon the plaintiffs’ copyrighted

materials, the court will issue an injunction prohibiting

Williams from directly or indirectly infringing on the

plaintiffs’ copyright rights.

Therefore, a default judgment, granting the

plaintiffs’ motion for entry of default judgment,

awarding the minimum statutory amount of $ 4,500.00 in

damages, plus $ 420.00 in costs, and providing for

appropriate injunctive relief, will be entered.

DONE this 27th day of October, 2006.

_____________________________ /s/ Myron H. Thompson

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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