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Even an incarcerated felon has the right to try to protect their intellectual property, as “Tiger King” Joseph Maldonado-Passage, aka Joe Exotic, is demonstrating with his latest legal filing. The suit, filed in Florida Northern District Court, asserts that former music collaborator Vince Johnson infringed Exotic’s copyright by rerecording and using five songs that were …

Pulling Out the Claws: “Tiger King” Joe Exotic Sues Alleged Former Music Collaborator `

Sometimes a case comes along that tests both the limits of the law and the moral and ethical scope of an era. Moderna’s suit against Pfizer and partner firm BioNTech appears to be such a case—and the downstream effects of the verdict, pro or con, may have repercussions in US patent law for decades or …

Bad Medicine: Moderna Sues Pfizer, BioNTech for Patent Infringement `

The suits filed by George Lopez, Andrew “Dice” Clay, Lewis Black, the estates of Robin Williams and George Carlin, and others against Pandora conglomerated into one Titanic legal action, pundits are already drawing comparisons between the current lawsuit against Pandora and actions against infamous file-sharing services like Napster and LimeWire, who were targeted by musicians …

“That’s NOT Funny!”​ Legendary Standup Comedians Sue Pandora for Copyright Infringement, Royalties `

A while back, I wrote about the legal heat Mariah Carey had drawn over allegations of copyright infringement for her Christmas anthem “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Now, she’s taking fire again…this time over plans to trademark the phrase “Queen of Christmas.” The trademark has hit a sour note with at least two …

NO, QUEEN!: Mariah Carey Challenged by Peers to Prevent Trademark “Queen of Christmas”​ `

If you’re a longtime reader of my articles, you follow my website, or you’ve read my books Escaping the Gray and Think and Grow Rich For Inventors, you likely have already noticed that Oprah Winfrey is one of my personal heroes. She started out being raised by a single teenage mother on welfare and used …

The Queen is NOT Amused: Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions Sues Podcast for Brand Dilution `

In 2017, pop megastar Taylor Swift was sued by songwriting duo Sean Hall and Nathan Butler over copyright infringement, specifically stemming from alleged similarities between her 2014 hit “Shake It Off” and their 2001 track, “Playas Gon’ Play,” recorded by female R&B group 3LW. The case was initially tossed, but the dismissal was reversed on …

Taylor Swift Sued Over Lyrics: Players Gonna Play `

AMC/Sony Pictures, the channel and studio responsible for original TV breakout smash dramas Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, are in hot water with tax prep titan Liberty Tax Service over the content of an episode released in April of 2022 as part of Better Call Saul’s final season. Liberty Tax Service argues that in …

A Taxing Situation: Better Call Saul Sued for Trademark Infringement `

In a move that has raised many an eyebrow in both Mexico and the United States, Vice reported that notorious drug lord Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, aka “the godfather of the modern Mexican drug trade” or “El Jefe de Jefes (The Boss of bosses)” has registered his name as a trademark in Mexico to be …

“That Shirt is DOPE!”: Mexican Drug Lord Trademarks his name for Profit `

It may be the most “meta” case in modern IP law history: A small AR/VR company called Meta.is (aka MetaX) is suing Meta (aka Facebook), alleging that Facebook’s change to the Meta name has diluted the original Meta.is brand and caused what is known as “reverse confusion” in IP circles by irrevocably giving the appearance …

A Tale of Two Metas `