Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Ability to Recover Statutory Damages under Both the Lanham Act and Copyright Act for the Same Injuries — Caselaw Split

From Lifted Research Group, Inc. v. Behdad, Inc., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 99618 (D.D.C. Dec. 10, 2008):

Although Plaintiff's Motion is silent on this question, the Court finds that it is unclear whether Plaintiff is legally entitled to collect statutory damages under both the Lanham Act and the Copyright Act for the same injuries. In briefly reviewing the relevant legal authority on this question, it appears to the Court that this is an issue of first impression in the D.C. Circuit and that, among the several courts that have been presented with a request for recovery of statutory damages under both Acts, there is disagreement as to the proper resolution of this issue. For example, some courts have found that recovery of statutory damages under both the Lanham Act and the Copyright Act for the same injury impermissibly allows a plaintiff dual recovery, see, e.g., Microsoft Corp. v. Computer Care Ctr., Inc., No. 06-cv-1429, 2008 WL 4179653, at *8-10 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 10, 2008), while other courts have held that such recovery is permitted, see, e.g., Microsoft Corp. v. Online Datalink Computer, Inc., No. 07cv01165, 2008 WL 1995209, at *3 (S.D. Cal. May 6, 2008). Given this disagreement over the legal authority of a court to award a plaintiff statutory damages for both trademark and copyright infringements, and the apparent lack of any binding precedent addressing this question in the D.C. Circuit, the Court requests Plaintiff provide supplemental briefing specifically addressing this question. In particular, Plaintiff's supplemental briefing must address whether this is, in fact, an issue of first impression in the D.C. Circuit and, if so, provide sufficient legal justification for Plaintiff's position that this Court has the authority to award statutory damages under both Acts.

Share this article:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Recent Posts

Archives