Opinion ID: 147867
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sufficient Originality

Text: “The sine qua non of copyright is originality.” Feist Publ’ns, Inc. v. Rural Tel. Serv. Co., Inc., 499 U.S. 340, 345 (1991). “Original, as the term is used in copyright, means only that the work was independently created by the author (as opposed to copied from other works), and that it possesses at least some minimal degree of creativity.” Id. (citing 1 M. Nimmer & D. Nimmer, Copyright §§ 2.01[A], [B] (1990)). The “requisite level of creativity is extremely low; even a slight amount will suffice.” Id.; see also Folio Impressions, Inc. v. Byer California, 937 F.2d 759, 765 (2d Cir. 1991) (explaining that “only an ‘unmistakable dash of originality need be demonstrated, high standards of uniqueness in creativity are dispensed with’”) (quoting Weissmann v. Freeman, 868 F.2d 1313, 1321 (2d Cir. 1989)). Further, “the mere borrowing of elements from previous works will not defeat copyrightability as long as the author has devised a new version of the work or has otherwise rearranged or transformed it so as to have made an original contribution.” CMM Cable Rep, Inc. v. Ocean Coast Props., Inc., 97 F.3d 1504, 1518 (1st Cir. 1996). The jury properly concluded that the works for which Mon Cheri sought copyrights were sufficiently original. According to Dome, she found inspiration from many sources and in the case of dress number 21917, she was inspired by a particular flower and vine drawing. She used these two common elements, but rearranged them, changed their size, color, and frequency, and created an embroidery and bead pattern that 10 she considered to be her original work. This work is sufficiently original under copyright law. See Folio, 937 F.2d at 764-65 (holding that a fabric design that consisted of roses that were available in the public domain, but were rearranged for the particular fabric design at issue “required little creative input” but still was “original work and, as such, copyrightable”); Imperial Laces, 1998 WL 830630, at  (holding that a lace design that incorporated a prior lace design within it, but that included a heavy liner, thereby giving the overall pattern a “reticulated or squiggly appearance” was sufficiently original). The testimony from Carita and Lang confirmed Dome’s description of her design process. Moreover, the Wu defendants’ own expert witnesses, two dress designers, stated that they designed their dresses in the same manner and considered them to be original. (Mar. 27, 2008 Tr. at 173-75; Mar. 31, 2008 Tr. at 166-68.) The cases that the Wu defendants rely upon are distinguishable. The copyright applicant in Garner v. Sawgrass Mills Ltd. Partnership, Civ. No. 3-94-307, 1994 WL 829978, -9 (D. Minn. Dec. 22, 1994), had first-hand knowledge of the prior work and failed to disclose it. Id. (invalidating for lack of originality as the applicant, who had a copy of the incorporated prior work in his possession, failed to disclose the incorporation of that prior work). Neither Carita nor Lang had any knowledge of the common elements that Dome incorporated. Further, in Towle Manufacturing Co. v. Godinger Silver Art Co., 612 F. Supp. 986, 991 (S.D.N.Y. 1985), the court invalidated a copyright for a baby bottle that consisted of five glass etchings, all of which were prior work widely available 11 on the market, to which the applicant made no modifications. Dome testified that the patterns that she created, which incorporated public use elements, were entirely original, as were her bead and thread color choices. These modifications are sufficient to support a finding of originality. See Folio, 937 F.2d at 764-65.