Sanctioning Bettie Page
Bettie Page’s name and image popularized by once-scandalous pinups from the 1940s and 1950s remain hot properties still able to stir up trouble.
Intellectual Property
Articles
US Supreme Court weighs Spider-Man toy patent fight
Spider-Man's latest adventure is taking him through the strange and mysterious world of patent law.
White: Say ‘I do’ to IP due diligence in business transactions
Intellectual property is one of the most valuable and important assets of any consumer products, life sciences or technology driven company. Despite the inherent value associated with these intangible assets, IP rights are often overlooked or are only cursorily evaluated when a company is embroiled in a business transaction (such as a merger or an acquisition).
Gallagher: Recent Supreme Court rulings could help end patent trolls
There have been recent efforts in Congress and state legislatures to address the issue of so-called patent trolls, also known as patent assertion entities. This year, at least three of the six patent-related decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States have been widely regarded as impacting PAE activity. Although these decisions are only six months old, they appear to be on a path to help curb these unwanted lawsuits.
Frustrations with patent trolls spark push for pest control
Three years after passing the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act which overhauled the U.S. patent system, Congress and state legislatures have been introducing bills that primarily seek to reform the process by clamping down on so-called patent trolls.
Lucky, plucky owners reclaim and renew famous Hoosier trademarks
Entrepreneurs enjoying sweet successes and heady times with the resurgence of their retro products took varied paths to claim the rights to bring back brands with deep Hoosier roots. The new owners of Roselyn Bakery, Choc-Ola chocolate drink and Champagne Velvet beer got dormant brands back on store shelves by capitalizing on trademarks that had disappeared from the marketplace but retained a certain cachet.
Judge rules for defendants in Indy skyline photo copyright suit
A retired attorney and photographer who has filed numerous infringement lawsuits over the use of his copyrighted photo of the Indianapolis skyline lost a contested case. The ruling judge also said the purported value of the photo is questionable.
Purdue balks at use of its brand in panned film
Purdue University officials are asking their legal counsel to look into a new movie that makes frequent references to the school despite its refusal to grant permission to use official trademarks and logos.
Security software maker loses trademark case against Warner Bros.
The Plymouth, Indiana-based security software maker that sued Warner Bros. after the movie “The Dark Knight Rises” referred to hacking software as “clean slate” lost its trademark infringement case before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. The company, which has a program called “Clean Slate,” claimed its sales dropped after the movie came out.
Emmert says NCAA will appeal O’Bannon ruling
NCAA President Mark Emmert said Sunday that the NCAA will appeal a ruling that opens the door for college athletes to receive some of the money they help generate in major sports.
IU Maurer IP clinic joins select U.S. Patent Office pilot program
The intellectual property clinical program, established earlier this year at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, has been certified for pro bono practice before the U.S. Patent Office.
Decision against travel bureau over domain name draws sharp dissent on appeal
An Indiana Court of Appeals judge recently wrote that her colleagues who formed the majority to rule against a local tourism board were “out of touch,” and she suggested a case over an Internet domain name presented a novel issue that no court in the country has addressed.
Trademark board rules against Redskins name
A federal trademark board ruled Wednesday that the Washington Redskins nickname is "disparaging of Native Americans" and that the team's trademark protections should be canceled, a decision that applies new financial and political pressure on the team to change its name.
7th Circuit issues correction in PepperBall opinion
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order Monday correcting errors in its May 9 opinion on whether Indiana has jurisdiction to hear a dispute over intellectual property issues between two California companies.
Indiana doesn’t have jurisdiction in IP suit, rules 7th Circuit
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a District judge to dismiss a case filed by a company with California ties against another California company alleging various IP violations. The judges found Indiana does not have personal jurisdiction over the matter based on emails the allegedly offending company sent.
Indy club must pay BMI for DJ’s tunes
A downtown Indianapolis nightclub must pay a tab approaching $20,000 because the club and DJs failed to obtain public-performance licenses after repeated warnings.
Call IP attorney Donald Knebel the ‘master of the facts’
Ironically, the eight years that veteran attorney Donald Knebel spent avoiding intellectual property law gave him the experience he needed when he finally turned his attention to patent litigation.
Attorney sues hundreds over use of city skyline picture
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Attorney Richard Bell says his picture of the Indianapolis skyline is worth $1,500 or so if you’ve posted it on your website without first paying him to license it.
IU Maurer, Rose-Hulman create IP scholars program
A new program established by Indiana University Maurer School of Law and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology will allow select Rose-Hulman graduates to study at the IU law school at a reduced tuition rate.
Copyright infringement spurs knife fight in Warrick County
A copyright infringement dispute between two out-of-state companies has spurred criminal charges in Warrick County, a place where neither business has facilities, employees or quite possibly ever visited before these charges were brought.