A Tough Year for Justin Bieber

Wyche Inside IP By Wallace K. Lightsey Justin Bieber turned 21 this year.  He also lost a significant copyright case in the U.S. Court of Appeals. Bieber and another mega-recording artist, Usher, were sued for copyright infringement in connection with the song, “Somebody To Love,” which according to Billboard Magazine is Bieber’s 9th-biggest hit.  The…
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Update on Our March Madness Bracketology

Wyche Inside IP By Wallace K. Lightsey In the last Wyche Inside IP, in the spirit of the “March Madness” then happening in NCAA basketball, I hazarded predictions of the results of two patent cases that were to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on March 31. How did I do?  About the same…
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Who Owns Social Media Accounts

Wyche Inside IP By Terrell W. Mills There is no question about the growing importance of social media to businesses’ marketing strategies.  Communications about a business are generally more effective and, therefore, more valuable, when coming from an individual and not a corporate account.  As a result, promotion of businesses often comes from personal accounts. …
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In Other Jeff Dunham News . . . Cybersquatting

Wyche Inside IP By Troy A. Tessier The Lanham Act, which provides federal trademark protection, also includes certain cyberpiracy prevention provisions designed to protect people and companies from the wrongful registration and use of internet domain names that deserve trademark protection.  Congress passed the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. §1125(d), in 1999.  Under its…
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Don’t Mess With Walter the Dummy

Wyche Inside IP By Troy A. Tessier Jeff Dunham and Walter, a dummy character Jeff uses in his popular standup act, now have a new venue – federal court.  According to a complaint filed in federal court in California (Case No. 2:15-cv-05092), Anthony Horn is accused of knocking off the popular character of Walter and…
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