August 17, 2009

Plaintiff's Motion to Transfer Granted in Nina Simone Action

Stroud Productions & Enterprises, Inc. v. Castle Rock Entertainment Inc., No. 07 Civ. 8638, 8/17/2009 NYLJ "Decision of Interest" (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 4, 2009) -

Plaintiff's motion to transfer venue to California granted. 28 USC 1404(a). The outcome of a California action will be dispositive to the sole issue in this case, to wit: whether the license pursuant to which Defendants used a Nina Simone song in a film was valid.

Notably, the moving party was plaintiff - in such instance, the SDNY requires plaintiff to demonstrate, in the time since the action was filed, there has been a change of circumstances that warrants transfer of venue.