In a recent case in the Southern District of New York, Judge Robert Sweet cited Copyright Litigation Handbook for the proposition that a plaintiff that started a lawsuit without registered copyrights ought to promptly supplement the complaint to avoid dismissal. In this case, Judge Sweet dismissed the copyright infringement complaint for failure to state a claim under Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Rule 15 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure governs amendments and supplements to a complaint. Here's the cite.
MATILDE GATTONI, Plaintiff, v TIBI, LLC, Defendant., 16 CIV. 7527 (RWS), 2017 WL 2313882, at *3 [SDNY May 25, 2017]
Rule 15 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure governs amendments and supplements to a complaint. Here's the cite.
MATILDE GATTONI, Plaintiff, v TIBI, LLC, Defendant., 16 CIV. 7527 (RWS), 2017 WL 2313882, at *3 [SDNY May 25, 2017]
Because Gattoni has alleged only that the registration
for the allegedly infringed film is pending, and because no application has
been made by Gattoni to amend the Complaint if and when the Photograph became
registered, Gattoni has not properly pled the pre-requisite element of a
copyright infringement claim, and the Complaint's cause of action for copyright
infringement necessarily fails to state a claim. The Defendant's motion to
dismiss the copyright infringement claim is granted without prejudice. See
Membler.com LLC v. Barber, No. 12–CV-4941 JS GR, 2013 WL 5348546, at *5
(E.D.N.Y. Sept. 23, 2013) (explaining that Pyatt v. Raymond, 462 F. App'x 22
(2d Cir. 2012) now stands for the proposition that post-commencement
registrations will not automatically be read into the complaint and the
plaintiff should seek amendment); Raymond J. Dowd, Copyright Litigation Handbook § 7:1 (2d ed. 2012)
(“[I]f a plaintiff registers copyrights after the filing of a complaint but
does not supplement the complaint pursuant to Rule 15(d) of the Federal Rules
of Civil Procedure, the court may dismiss the case.”); Patry on
Copyright § 19:4 (2013) (“Where plaintiff has received registrations subsequent
to the filing of the complaint, the complaint should be amended.”).
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Copyright law, fine art and navigating the courts. Attorney and AuthorCopyright Litigation Handbook (Thomson Reuters Westlaw 2015-2016) by Raymond J. Dowd
