Source: http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/2012/06/
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 23:31:53+00:00

Document:
In Malibu Media v. Does 1-5, a bittorrent download case pending in Manhattan before Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald, John Doe #4 has filed a motion to quash the subpoena, and for severance and dismissal.
In Forest Park Pictures v. Universal Television Network, the US Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit has held that a claim for breach of an implied in fact contract, to compensate plaintiff if its idea for a series was used, was not preempted by the Copyright Act.
A motion to quash is being made by John Doe #4, in Malibu Media v. Does 1-5, US District Court, SDNY, Civil Action File No. 12-cv-2954 (NRB). Formal motion papers are due to be filed by Friday, June 29th.
In Liberty Media Holdings v. Tabora, a bittorrent download case in Manhattan, the defendant has moved to dismiss the complaint on the grounds that no copyright registrations had been filed for the films in issue, and that plaintiff's third claim -- for 'negligence' -- is preempted by the Copyright Act.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has filed an amicus curiae brief supporting dismissal of the 'negligence' claim on preemption grounds.
Defendant Michael Robertson's motion for a stay has been denied in Capitol Records v. MP3Tunes.
In Combat Zone v. John Does 1-34, Judge McMahon has issued a decision in which she severed and dismissed the claims against John Does 2 through 34.
In Malibu Media v. Does 1-13, where a pro se litigant had made a motion to quash, sever, and dismiss, anonymously, a Magistrate Judge has ruled that the motion could not be made anonymously in the manner the litigant employed.
The only economy that litigating these cases as a single action would achieve is an economy to plaintiff- the economy of not having to pay a separate filing fee for each action brought. However, the desire to avoid paying statutorily mandated filing fees affords no basis for joinder. In these BitTorrent cases, where numerous courts have already chronicled abusive litigation practices - again, I refer to the reader to Magistrate Judge Brown's Report and Recommendation - forcing plaintiff to bring separate actions against separate infringers, and to pay a filing fee for each action, is the single best way to forestall further abuse. This is particularly important because the nature of the alleged copyright infringement - the downloading of an admittedly pornographic movie - has the potential for forcing coercive settlements, due to the potential for embarrassing the defendants, who face the possibility that plaintiffs thus-far-unsubstantiated and perhaps erroneous allegation will be made public.
In Capitol Records v. Thomas-Rasset, an audiotape of the June 12th argument in the 8th Circuit is available online.
Hat tip to Barry Werbin, Esq., of Herrick, Feinstein, for bringing this decision to my attention. -R.B.
In Brownmark Films v. Comedy Partners, involving the "Canada on Strike" South Park episode, the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit granted summary judgment for the defendant, on the ground that the episode was obviously a parody entitled to the fair use defense.
In Capitol Records v. Thomas-Rasset, oral argument before the US Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit is scheduled for Tuesday, June 12th, at 9:00 A.M. Each side has been alotted 30 minutes for its argument.
The argument will take place at the Warren E. Burger Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse at 316 N. Robert Street, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Although this case involved the District Court's repudiation of the RIAA's "making available" theory, Ms. Thomas-Rasset's attorneys have sought to waive that issue on appeal, and confine the appeal to the issue of the unconstitutionality of the RIAA's statutory damages theory.
If anyone is aware of other briefs, please advise.
In SONY BMG Music Entertainment v. Tenenbaum, defendant Joel Tenenbaum has filed a request for a new trial with proper jury instructions on the subject of statutory damages.

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