Rapper Can't Use "Rolls Royce" Name Or Images

Rolls-Royce Motor Cards v. Davis, No. 15-0417 (D.N.J. Mar. 11, 2016).

On an unopposed motion for default judgment, the Court entered a permanant injunction restraining the defendant rapper from using the name "Rolls Royce Rizzy" and using Rolls Royce imagery.  Plaintiff brought claims for trademark infringement, unfair competition, false designation of origin, and trademark dilution under the Lanham Act, and was awarded default judgment on those claims.  However, Plaintiff was not awarded default judgment on its claim for unfair competition under New Jersey common law.

Default Judgment Entered In Grooveshark Case

Arista Records v. Tkach et al., No. 15-cv-3701 (SDNY Dec. 11, 2015).

The Court granted Plaintiff record companies a default judgment on their claims for copyright infringement, trademark counterfeiting, unfair competition, and cybersquatting claims based on the websites "grooveshark.io" and "grooveshark.pw".  The plaintiffs had obtained a preliminary injunction, and the defendants did not respond to either the injunction or the complaint in any manner.  The Court entered a judgment permanently enjoining Defendants' use of the "Grooveshark" marks and the infringing domains.  Plaintiff UMG was also awarded $4 million for the trademark infringement, $400,000 for the cybersquatting, and statutory damages on the copyright claim of over $13 million.  Plaintiffs were also granted their attorney's fees, to be calculated on a later submission.

No New Trial In "Blurred Lines" Case; Damages Reduced; 50% Royalty Awarded

Williams v. Bridgeport Music, No. CV13-06004 (C.D. Cal. dated July 14, 2015).

In the "Blurred Lines" copyright infringement case, Robin Thicke's motion for a new trial was denied but the amount of damages he is laible for was reduced.  Additionally, the heirs of Marvin Gaye were awarded a declaratory judgment that any past and ongoing exploitation of "Blurred Lines" constitutes copyright infringement of "Got To Give It Up."  Rather than enjoin future exploitation or impound infringing articles, the Court awarded the Gaye parties a 50% royalty of songwriting/publishing revenues from "Blurred Lines."

Limited Permanent Injunction Entered In Beastie Boys v. Monster Case

Beastie Boys v. Monster Energy, No. 12-cv-06065 (S.D.N.Y. filed 02/20/15) [Doc. 201].

After prevailing at trial, the Court granted the Beastie Boys' motion for a permanent injunction, but agreed with Monster that the injunction "must be tightly limited to cover only the infringing video."  The Beastie Boys had sought to broadly enjoin Monster from using the Beastie Boys' music, voices, names, and trademarks for any advertising or trade-related purpose, whereas Monster argued that, if the Court decided to issue a permanent injunction at all, that relief should be limited to the video at issue in the case.  The Court applied the traditional four-factor test in exercising its equitable discretion to grant such relief, and found that "In the Court's view, the injunction the Beastie Boys propose is highly overbroad. It would sweep well beyond the single video at issue in this lawsuit to expansively ban a host of hypothetical future acts that the Beastie Boys cast as infringement."