Opinion ID: 489574
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Misread Estoppel Instruction

Text: 31 Defendants submitted following jury instruction No. 1024: 32 One who acquiesces with knowledge of infringement over a long period of time is estopped to claim copyright infringement. 33 And if you find that Ross was it [sic] owner--was the author of the Tentative Map, and that Cahn or Ross knew or reasonably should have known that defendants made copies of the Tentative Map over an extended period of time, then the plaintiffs are estopped to claim infringement. 34 And the elements of estoppel are, one, that the plaintiffs had knowledge of the defendants' alleged infringement; two, that the plaintiffs acted in a manner upon which the defendants could reasonably rely; three, that the defendants did not know the plaintiffs claimed a copyright when they first made copies of the Tentative Map; and four, that defendants relied on the plaintiffs' conduct. 35 And just by way of example, if you find, one, that the plaintiffs knew that the defendants had made copies of the tentative map; two, that plaintiffs claimed the Del Madera partnership owned no copyrights in their Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition; three, because of the petition, defendants did not know that plaintiffs claimed copyright; and four, defendants made copies of the Tentative Map; then plaintiffs are estopped to claim copyright in the Tentative Map. 36 The court instructed the jury prior to closing arguments and read this instruction in full. Thereafter, during a recess, Del Madera's counsel objected to the court having read the last paragraph of the instruction. The court had ruled previously that any reference to Del Madera Properties' Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding would be limited to the issue of Cahn's credibility. Del Madera's counsel suggested that the last paragraph of the instruction be deleted from the copy of the written instructions given to the jury for use during deliberations. Defendants' counsel agreed and this was done. 37 Del Madera claims it was prejudiced by the court having read the entire instruction to the jury, especially in view of its prior ruling that any reference to the bankruptcy proceedings would be limited to Cahn's credibility. Del Madera argues that cutting off the last paragraph before handing the written set of instructions to the jury did not cure the error. We conclude the court's reading of the portion of the instruction to which Del Madera objects was more probably than not harmless, Coursen, 764 F.2d at 1337, and does not constitute reversible error. 38