11/1/10

Update on Mass Vegas Copyright Litigation from Winston & Strawn

Winston & Strawn has been monitoring a Las Vegas company I wrote about a couple of months back -- the corporation that bought copyrights from various Nevada news media and began suing websites and blogs, personal and commercial, who had cut and pasted copy from the news articles into their own sites.  Suing in federal court for violations of the Copyright Act. 

The company -- Righthaven -- got lots of media attention as it filed suit after suit, oftentimes against nonprofits and such.  Political affiliations and hidden agendas were questioned.  Biggest issue: Righthaven was doing this without bothering to first send a cease and desist.  (Rambo lives.)

Winston is now reporting that Righthaven's days may be numbered.  One judge has decided, according to Winston's "special alert" that fair use applies.  Righthaven loses, although the winning defendant may have had to pay lotsa legal fees to defend itself and may find the victory bittersweet. 
For more, check out what Winston has for you.