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The Legal Beat: JUDGE REFUSES SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT CASE AGAINST TAYLOR SWIFT
Taylor Swift (and other defendants) were sued in 2017 for copyright infringement in Federal District Court in California for allegedly copying lyrics for her 2014 hit song “Shake it Off.” ... -
The Legal Beat: The Astroworld Festival Disaster
As reported extensively by the press, on Nov. 5, 2021 the Astroworld festival (in Houston, TX) got underway. The headliner was rapper Travis Scott who founded the festival in 2018. ... -
The Legal Beat: Cher Sues Sonny's Widow
Famed recording artist and actress Cher has filed a lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles for declaratory relief and breach of contract. Cher claims that Sonny’s widow, Mary, and ... -
The Legal Beat: Self-Defense for Songwriters
In my law practice I am often contacted by songwriters who believe their original work has been stolen. This article discusses some basics of copyright law and the steps songwriters ... -
The Legal Beat: George Clinton Wins Defamation Case
Funk music legend George Clinton has won a defamation lawsuit filed against him in Los Angeles Superior Court. Clinton is a musician, singer, songwriter and music producer. His group, Parliament-Funkadelic, ... -
The Legal Beat: Music on TV in the Age of Streaming
If you watch some classic TV shows (The X-Files, Scrubs, or Bones) on streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime or Hulu, you may notice that the original music used ... -
The Legal Beat: Beach Boys Sell Their Intellectual Property
The Beach Boys are probably feeling some “Good Vibrations” recently from a monetary standpoint. They have sold a majority interest in their intellectual property to a new company (Iconic Artist ... -
The Legal Beat: Bob Dylan Sued By Co-Writer
There have been a number of legacy artists who have recently sold their publishing rights for astronomical sums. In December 2020, Bob Dylan reportedly sold his catalog to Universal Music ... -
The Legal Beat: Lil Wayne Sued By Manager for $20 Million
On December 10, 2020, Lil Wayne’s former personal manager, Ronald E. Sweeny, sued him for allegedly failing to pay him his commission with regard to a number of matters. Sweeny ... -
The Legal Beat: The Estate of Michael Jackson v. HBO
The 100 million dollar lawsuit the estate of Michael Jackson filed against HBO is now on appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The case relates to a four-hour ...
