News & Media
UK’s The Register comments on Klingon brief by Marc Randazza
The United Kingdom’s IT publication, The Register, recently published an article describing attorney Marc Randazza’s efforts to keep the Klingon language from copyright encroachment. But, the Language Creation Society says, although it is “understandable that Paramount might feel some sense of ownership over the creation,” the reality is that it has since become a much bigger thing. “The language has taken on a life of its own,” reads the society’s court submission. The organization liberally scattered Klingon phrases and proverbs in its text to make its point. The case will be heard on May 9, 2016 in Los Angeles federal
Brief by Marc Randazza discussed by The Lawyer Herald
The Lawyer Herald, an online legal news publication, wrote Friday that a brief filed in the case of Paramount Pictures v. Axanar Productions has “spark[ed] debate.” Language Creation Society has recently filed an amicus brief on behalf of the defendants, arguing the merits of whether the Klingon language could be copyrighted. The date continues on, as the parties await a hearing set for May 9, 2016 in Los Angeles federal court. Read the entire article here.
The Financial Post comments on Marc Randazza’s Brief in Paramount v. Axanar Productions
On the heals of the filing of a brief of amicus curiae by Randazza Legal Group managing partner Marc Randazza, The Financial Post published an article discussing the brief. The article, in part, says: The brief provides numerous examples of the widespread cultural use and academic study of Klingon. The court document is also liberally peppered with Klingon proverbs, words, typeface and attitude. To wit, the society says the film studio may live to regret making a legal claim on the Klingon language: “By opening this door, Plaintiffs will learn ‘rut neH ‘oH vIta’Qo’ Qob law’ yu’ jang.’” A footnote
Marc Randazza Fights for Klingon Language
When Paramount Pictures sued a production company over a crowd-funded fan film called “Axanar,” Paramount asserted copyright over the Klingon language. On behalf of the Language Creation Society, Randazza Legal Group filed a pro bono amicus brief in the case, arguing that languages are not subject to copyright. The brief states: “Given that Paramount Pictures commissioned the creation of some of the language, it is understandable that Paramount might feel some sense of ownership over the creation. But, feeling ownership and having ownership are not the same thing. The language has taken on a life of its own. Thousands of people
Tax Prep Company Tries To Sue Unhappy Customer Into Silence; Hit With Damages In Anti-SLAPP Order
Pamela Boling (represented by Marc Randazza) hired IQTaxx to prepare her taxes, including the filing of a hardship notice. IQTaxx failed to do so. Boling turned to Yelp and left a review detailing her experience with the company. Shortly thereafter, IQTaxx sent a cease-and-desist to Boling over her “exaggerated emotional rant review.” Defamation does not cover exaggerations or emotional rants, but rather false statements purporting to be facts. The court finds the company has failed to satisfy both prongs of Nevada’s anti-SLAPP test. Check out the Techdirt article here.
"Kosovo’s Digital Independence: Time for Kosovo’s ccTLD" by Marc Randazza
Eddie Izzard famously said “no flag, no country.” However, in this age, a flag is not the most important prerequisite for independence. In fact, the concept of “independence” now includes “Digital Independence.” Kosovo deserves to have full recognition of its independence — including in cyberspace. Kosovo gained territorial and de facto political independence. Nevertheless, ICANN refuses to pay it the respect it deserves by granting it full digital independence in the form of giving it its own country code top level domain. Objections to Kosovo’s online independence lack any honest justification, and its digital independence should not be held hostage by
Big Anti-SLAPP Win for TMZ Against Dan Bilzerian
Last year, Dan Bilzerian sued the Dirty World for publishing a story about a woman who alleged Bilzerian gave her an STD. The media news website TMZ posted an article about the lawsuit, and Bilzerian immediately amended his initial complaint to include TMZ as a defendant, alleging TMZ’s article was false and defamatory. Randazza Legal Group filed an Anti-SLAPP motion on behalf of TMZ, and the District Court in Clark County, Nevada GRANTED the Anti-SLAPP, dismissing all of Bilzerian’s claims against TMZ Productions. Another win for RLG and the Nevada Anti-SLAPP law! Read the entire Anti-SLAPP Order here: TMZ Anti-SLAPP Order
Big Win for TMZ & Nevada Anti-SLAPP law
Last year, Dan Bilzerian, professional poker player and Instagram playboy, sued gossip website “The Dirty World” for publishing a story about a woman who alleged Bilzerian gave her Chlamydia. The media news website TMZ posted an article about the lawsuit, and Bilzerian amended his initial complaint to include TMZ as a defendant, alleging TMZ’s article was false and defamatory. Of course, we (Randazza Legal Group) filed an Anti-SLAPP motion on behalf of TMZ in Clark County District Court. We’re happy to say the court granted the Anti-SLAPP, dismissed all of Bilzerian’s claims against TMZ, and awarded costs and attorneys’ fees. Just
Attorney Marc Randazza Beats Bad Business for Suing Yelp Reviewer
(Pace Vegas) Pamela Boling probably didn’t expect to end up in court when she hired iQTAXX to assist with filing special paperwork with the IRS. However, when she found out that they hadn’t done the work they promised and she had paid for, she turned to YELP to get assistance, posting a negative review and her personal experience. That’s how she ended up getting sued. That’s when she turned to Marc Randazza, one of the Las Vegas’ heavy hitting attorneys that knows how to bring down the legal hammer when it’s needed to address the rights of consumers. Read the
Randazza on Above the Law’s "Thinking Like a Lawyer"
On Above the Law’s “Thinking Like a Lawyer,” Elie and First Amendment Lawyer Marc Randazza talk about the Hulk Hogan verdict, the right to be forgotten, and how Europe seems to be getting along just fine without ruining everybody’s Google footprints. Listen to the full discussion here.
‘The dice were loaded in Hulk Hogan’s favor,’ Randazza says of the Gawker trial
A Florida jury decided on Friday evening that Gawker Media must pay Hulk Hogan, aka Terry Bollea, $115 million in damages after running a portion of sex tape of the famous wrestler on its site. The case centers on a 2012 post by former Gawker editor A.J. Daulerio, in which he posted an edited section of a sex tape filmed without Bollea’s consent. . . Read the full article here.
Violence and Political Speech
My most recent CNN Column discusses violence in political settings. See Defend Donald Trump’s right to free speech I don’t get to write my own headlines, ok? Some good people think that sometimes being violent is ok. What they don’t understand is that when we use violence in politics, no matter what, the bad people always win. They get to escalate the violence, feeding off of it, up to a point where the good people lose the stomach for it — or at least a critical mass of them lose the stomach for it. Always. And the bad people will
A fabulous Roman candle exploding like a spider across the stars
On March 12th, 1922, the universe lit the fuse on the roman candle of the existence of one Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac. Somewhere along the line after that there were girls, visions, everything; somewhere along the line the pearl was handed to him, but like so many that stand at the center when the blue light pops, the pearl drops into the grate on a street where you can still smell the last exhale of the cigarette that the guy put out as he got into the taxi. The taxi that drove down the wet street, where most of the streetlights
The USPTO Would Prefer Not to Follow the First Amendment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BMsDJrjZHY The USPTO is, apparently, a big Melville crowd. In December, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit decided In re Tam, 2015 U.S. App. LEXIS 22593 (Fed. Cir. Dec. 22, 2015). In it, the Federal Circuit made a sweeping pronouncement that the First Amendment applies to trademark registrations, and that a long-criticized prohibition on “disparaging” trademarks could no longer stand. The portion of the trademark act that fell was Section 2(a) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C.S. § 1052(a). Then, the Department of Justice conceded that § 2(a) was no longer enforceable in light of In re Tam.
Defend Donald Trump’s right to free speech
(CNN) Is Donald Trump finally learning about the meaning of free speech? Other candidates might be bad for free speech once elected. But Trump is the only candidate to actually campaign to reduce our First Amendment rights. This is the guy who said, “There used to be consequences to protesting. There are none anymore. These people are so bad for our country, you have no idea, folks.” Marc Randazza says Trump, who has talked about curtailing First Amendment protections, deserves the right to speak freely . . . Read the CNN Opinion Article here.
Randazza: Violence and Political Speech
My most recent CNN Column discusses violence in political settings. See Defend Donald Trump’s right to free speech I don’t get to write my own headlines, ok? Some good people think that sometimes being violent is ok. What they don’t understand is that when we use violence in politics, no matter what, the bad people always win. They get to escalate the violence, feeding off of it, up to a point where the good people lose the stomach for it — or at least a critical mass of them lose the stomach for it. Always. And the bad people will
Randazza: A fabulous Roman candle exploding like a spider across the stars
On this day in 1922, the universe lit the fuse on the roman candle of the existence of one Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac. Somewhere along the line after that there were girls, visions, everything; somewhere along the line the pearl was handed to him, but like so many that stand at the center when the blue light pops, the pearl drops into the grate on a street where you can still smell the last exhale of the cigarette that the guy put out as he got into the taxi. The taxi that drove down the wet street, where most of
Randazza: The USPTO Would Prefer Not to Follow the First Amendment
The USPTO is, apparently, a big Melville crowd. In December, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit decided In re Tam, 2015 U.S. App. LEXIS 22593 (Fed. Cir. Dec. 22, 2015). In it, the Federal Circuit made a sweeping pronouncement that the First Amendment applies to trademark registrations, and that a long-criticized prohibition on “disparaging” trademarks could no longer stand. The portion of the trademark act that fell was Section 2(a) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C.S. § 1052(a). Then, the Department of Justice conceded that § 2(a) was no longer enforceable in light of In re Tam. We
Something Doesn’t Click Here
A Missouri professor has gotten more than her share of negative pixels this year. I actually decided after my last column on her that I was done writing about her. Even when she claimed that her now-infamous plea for “some muscle over here” was not the real her. I resisted. “I try to remember that’s only one moment of a full day, and only one moment in a 12-year career,” she said. (source) And after she hired a public relations team to give her a makeover, she now claims that the real reason she got fired is because she was
Randazza: Something Doesn’t Click Here
A Missouri professor has gotten more than her share of negative pixels this year. I actually decided after my last column on her that I was done writing about her. Even when she claimed that her now-infamous plea for “some muscle over here” was not the real her. I resisted. “I try to remember that’s only one moment of a full day, and only one moment in a 12-year career,” she said. (source) And after she hired a public relations team to give her a makeover, she now claims that the real reason she got fired is because she was