May 23, 2014

Attorney Sanctioned In Usher Copyright Action

Marino v. Usher et al., Index No. 6811-cv-11 (E.D. Pa. memorandum dated May 21, 2014).

The court dismissed most of the plaintiff song-writer's copyright infringement claims against Usher and other defendants, and sanctioned plaintiff's counsel for behaving "in a flagrantly unprofessional and offensive manner."  The sanctionable conduct: the attorney "(1) inveigled an inculpatory affidavit from unrepresented Defendant William Guice; and (2) after falsely assuring Guice that he was only a witness, entered a default against him."