A blog about patent, copyright and trademark law in the U.S. District Court
for the Southern District of New York

Court Awards Statutory Copyright Infringement Damages of $3,000 Per Infringement

In a May 16, 2014 ruling, Magistrate Judge James C. Francis IV issued a Report and Recommendation after an inquest awarding statutory damages of $3,000 per photograph for six infringing pictures of Lindsay Lohan that the defendant published on its website.  Judge Francis found that this amount of damages "represents three time the amount of the licensing fee for each image," making the award "clearly within the lawful range, and, indeed, near the lower end."  The Court also awarded attorneys' fees of $6,732.50, approving hourly rates for two partners of $525 and $450, but reducing a third year associate's rate from $400 to $200.
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