Jake Wunsch
Tracy Chapman accepted a Rule 68 offer of judgment from Nicki Minaj, in a copyright infringement suit alleging that Minaj copied and distributed Chapman’s song Baby Can I Hold You without a license.
Lessons from the Nicki Minaj Copyright Judgment
Tracy Chapman accepted a Rule 68 offer of judgment from Nicki Minaj, in a copyright infringement suit alleging that Minaj copied and distributed Chapman’s song Baby Can I Hold You without a license.
CASE Act Signed, Sealed, and Delivered – Copyright Small Claims Court Coming Soon
The latest amendment to the Copyright Act of 1976 creates a long-awaited new home for the litigation of lower-value copyright cases.
Exporting the Sullivan Case…to Belgium
An amicus curiae brief invites the European Court to consider how the U.S. Supreme Court resolved an issue as to whether a public official who is neither named nor identified in public criticism of government has standing in litigation to punish the authors of the criticism.
UK Court Denies U.S. Request to Extradite Julian Assange
According to UK experts, the United States faces an uphill battle on appeal because the Court’s findings of fact regarding Assange’s mental health are unlikely to be reversed.
First Circuit: Secret Recordings of Police in Public Spaces Protected by First Amendment
In a pair of cases, the First Circuit held that the Commonwealth could not prohibit the secret recording of police officers carrying out their official duties in public places because such recording is a form of newsgathering activity protected by the First Amendment.
New York Anti-SLAPP Law Applies Retroactively to Sarah Palin’s Lawsuit Against The New York Times
Judge Rakoff granted a motion for reconsideration by The Times and James Bennet, holding that one provision of the new anti-SLAPP law requires Palin to establish actual malice as a matter of state law.
Nevada Fair Report Privilege Does Not Apply to Citizen Complaints to Police, Absent Some Official Government Action
The Nevada Supreme Court reverses the district court’s dismissal of a defamation claim by billionaire, Republican activist, and casino magnate Steve Wynn against the Associated Press and its reporter.
New York Times Wins Dismissal of Libel Suit by Anti-Immigration Writer Peter Brimelow
SDNY Judge dismissed the case in December after finding that many of the statements at issue were non-actionable opinion or not ‘of and concerning’ Brimelow, and that Brimelow could not plausibly show actual malice as to any of the claims.
Judge in George Floyd Prosecutions Allows Cameras in the Courtroom
Finding that an overflow room is no substitute for in-person attendance, the judge overseeing the prosecutions of the four men charged in the death of George Floyd recently ordered that “[a]udio and video recording, broadcasting and streaming will be allowed” of the trial.
Emily Bazelon on the Coney Barrett Confirmation Hearings, the First Amendment and Disinformation, and Election Chaos
An edited transcription of a conversation with journalist, book author, legal scholar and podcaster Emily Bazelon.