April 30, 2014

Attorney's Fees Awarded To Madonna In Infringement Action

VMG Salsoul LLC v. Madonna Louise Ciccone et al., No. 2:12-cv-05967 (C.D. Cal. filed Apr. 28, 2014) [Doc. 148].

Madonna and other music-industry defendants were awarded their attorney's fees in a copyright infringement action in which the Court had dismissed plaintiff's claim, finding that the alleged infringement of the musical composition was not sufficiently original to be copyrightable and that any alleged sampling was de minimis.  Although the Court found that the fees and costs were unreasonable and unnecessary to the litigation, and therefore declined to award the full amount requested, the Court nonetheless awarded defendants $670.117.25 in attorneys’ fees and $50,055.00 in costs, pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 505.