Lewis Roca Blog

A noted designer and illustrator who worked on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” has filed a lawsuit over the destruction of his Los Angeles “Six Heads” mural, alleging violation of the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA) and the California Art Preservation Act. The case is Thrasher v. Siegel et al., case number 2:17-cv-03047, in the […]

As illustrated by a recent Federal Circuit Decision, the Courts may already be following the recent recommendations of the American Bar Association Section of Intellectual Property Law (ABA), and the Intellectual Property Owner’s Association (IPO). A portion of the ABA March 25, 2017 recommendation states that with regard to Section 101, patent eligibility shall not […]

On March 22, 2017, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in the case of Star v. Varsity.  580 U.S.___(2017). The opinion concerned the copyrightability of two-dimensional designs, consisting of various lines and chevrons and colorful shapes, appearing on the surface of cheerleader uniforms.  Justice Thomas, delivering the majority opinion of the Court, opined […]

In January a judge in the Northern District of California dismissed a complaint which asked that a monkey named Naruto be the owner of a copyright in a photograph. The order of dismissal can be downloaded here. The court held that there was no standing under the Copyright Act since a monkey is not an “author,” […]