Recent Threats Added to the DMLP Database

NOTE: The information and commentary contained in this database entry are based on court filings and other informational sources that may contain unproven allegations made by the parties. The truthfulness and accuracy of such information is likely to be in dispute. Information contained in this entry is current as of the last event mentioned in the "Description" section below; additional proceedings might have taken place in this matter since this event.

U.S. Air Force v. Wired/Threat Level

Date: 03/05/2008
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Website
On March 5, 2008, a lawyer for the U.S. Air Force sent a DMCA takedown notice to YouTube, requesting that it remove a thirty-second Air Force promotional video posted to the site by Wired's Kevin Poulsen in connection with a...
- 03/07/2008 - 5:57pm - 0 comments

Global Royalties v. Xcentric Ventures

Date: 07/24/2006
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Arizona, Canada
Publication: Forum
Global Royalties, Ltd., an international firm that brokers investments in gemstones, sued Xcentric Ventures, Inc., Ed Magedson, and Jane Doe Magedson over three allegedly defamatory posts made by a third party, Spencer Sullivan, on Xcentric's website Ripoff Report. According to...
- 03/06/2008 - 4:05pm - 0 comments

Karl v. Feinstein

Date: 02/26/2008
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: Colorado
Publication: Blog
A lawyer for Denver Nuggets coach George Karl has threatened blogger Andrew Feinstein with legal action if he crosses "the boundaries of permissible speech." Feinstein, a frustrated Nuggets fan, created a blog called Fire George Karl, lamenting what he sees as a series...
- 03/06/2008 - 9:46am - 0 comments

Lifestyle Lift Holding, Inc. v. Real Self, Inc.

Date: 01/07/2008
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Settled (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Publication: Forum
Lifestyle Lift, Inc. owns the trademark "Lifestyle Lift" for use in connection with cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures. The company licenses this trademark to cosmetic and plastic surgery centers across the country, and doctors perform facelift procedures marketed to the public under...
- 03/04/2008 - 3:16pm - 0 comments

Left Behind Games, Inc. v. Gameology

Date: 09/25/2007
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Blog, Forum
Gameology, a video-game-review site, posted some criticisms of "Left Behind: Eternal Forces," a Christian-themed video game. Gameology's posts took issue with the game's atmosphere of faith-based violence and criticized its treatment of women and minorities. Several other blogs and forums,...
- 03/04/2008 - 2:09pm - 0 comments

Lochrie v. No Phat Pink Chicks

Date: 12/01/2007
Status: Pending
Disposition: Injunction Denied
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Blog
Christy Lochrie is a local journalist and blogger for The Record Searchlight in Redding, California. She authors a blog for the newspaper called "Phat & Pink." Lochrie's former friend Beth Norby created a "local media watch-dog blog" entitled...
- 03/04/2008 - 12:42pm - 0 comments

The Boston Beer Co. v. Sam Adams for Mayor

Date: 10/17/2007
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Withdrawn
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: Oregon
Publication: Website
Sam Adams, the Portland City Commissioner, was considering running for mayor of Portland, Oregon. Two DJs from local news radio station 1190 KEX registered the domain names www.samadamsformayor.com and www.mayorsamadams.com because they were supporters of Adams and wanted him...
- 02/28/2008 - 4:52pm - 0 comments

CNN v. Pazienza

Date: 02/12/2008
Status: Concluded
Disposition: n/a
Type: Disciplinary Action
Jurisdiction: New York
Publication: Blog
In mid-February 2008, CNN fired Chez Pazienza, a senior producer for the "American Morning" program. According to Pazienza, CNN fired him because of his personal blog, Deus Ex Malcontent, and because of his blogging for the Huffington...
- 02/28/2008 - 4:27pm - 0 comments

Alkateeb v. Does

Date: 05/13/2005
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (partial), Withdrawn
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: New York
Publication: Email, Forum
Naji A. Alkateeb and Deanna R. Wilson-Alkateeb filed a "John Doe" lawsuit in federal district court in New York in May 2005. According to court documents, several anonymous Internet users(using Google and Hushmail email addresses) allegedly postedinsulting comments, threats, and...
- 02/28/2008 - 2:59pm - 0 comments

Menhart v. Grossman

Date: 01/01/2007
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Withdrawn
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: Illinois
Publication: Blog
Eric Menhart is a lawyer who practices Internet law or "cyberlaw" in Washington, D.C. He is the principal attorney at a law firm called "CyberLaw P.C" and operates the blog Cyberlawg. Michael Grossman, a Chicago-based attorney, operated a blog...
- 02/28/2008 - 1:22pm - 0 comments

Three Unnamed Guitar Heroes v. Ojala

Date: 02/01/2008
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Website
Finnish media artist Santeri Ojala created a series of popular YouTube videos that parody legendary guitarists such as Steve Vai, Carlos Santana, and Eric Clapton. In the videos, Ojala overdubbed the guitarists' performances with his own (intentionally) bad guitar playing. The combination...
- 02/28/2008 - 11:54am - 0 comments

ABC v. Spocko

Date: 12/21/2006
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Withdrawn
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
Publication: Blog
Blogger "Spocko" posted audio clips from a talk radio program on San Francisco-based KSFO-AM on his blog in order to criticize what he viewed as racially insensitive and religioulsy intolerant rhetoric on the part of the radio hosts. In...
- 02/22/2008 - 11:31am - 0 comments

Geller v. Sapient (Letter)

Date: 10/02/2007
Status: Concluded
Disposition: n/a
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Website
Brian Sapient, a member of the "Rational Response Squad," a group which seeks to debunk what it considers irrational beliefs, posted a video on YouTube from the NOVA television program "Secrets of the Psychics," in which magician James Randi challenges the performance...
- 02/22/2008 - 10:49am - 0 comments

Rhode Island Family Court v. Grant

Date: 08/17/2007
Status: Concluded
Disposition: n/a
Type: Other
Jurisdiction: Rhode Island
Publication: Blog
Anne Grant maintains a blog, The Custody Scam, where she "writes about official actions that endanger children and parents trying to protect them." Grant used the blog to write about a child custody case involving minors "Sara Doe" and "Mary Doe"...
- 02/22/2008 - 10:33am - 0 comments

Hilton v. Persa

Date: 01/29/2007
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Injunction Issued, Settled (partial), Withdrawn
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Website
Paris Hilton sued Bardia Persa, Nabil Haniss, Nabila Haniss, and a number of anonymous defendants in January 2007 for copyright infringement, publication of private facts, and misapproriation of her right of publicity. The case revolved around a website, ...
- 02/21/2008 - 5:45pm - 0 comments

Whitney Information Network v. Xcentric Ventures

Date: 01/27/2004
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Florida
Publication: Forum
In January 2004, Whitney Information Network, Inc., a company that provides real estate training programs and seminars, and its CEO Russ Whitney sued Xcentric Ventures, LLC and its founder and managing member, Ed Magedson. Xcentric operates the Ripoff Report website, located at...
- 02/18/2008 - 10:41pm - 0 comments

Julius Baer Bank and Trust v. Wikileaks

Date: 02/06/2008
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Injunction Denied, Injunction Issued, Withdrawn
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Wiki
On February 6, 2008, Julius Baer Bank and Trust Company, a Cayman Islands banking entity, filed suit in federal court in California against Wikileaks, which is developing an "uncensorable Wikipedia for untraceable mass document leaking and analysis." ...
- 02/18/2008 - 4:22pm - 0 comments

Universal Music Group v. Malkin

Date: 05/03/2007
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Withdrawn
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Podcast
Michelle Malkin, a political commentator and columnist, publishes a daily video podcast called "Vent with Michelle Malkin." The video podcast appears on Malkin's conservative Internet broadcast network Hot Air and is also regularly posted on YouTube. In the...
- 02/13/2008 - 7:37pm - 0 comments

Viacom v. MoveOn.org and Brave New Films

Date: 03/13/2007
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Withdrawn
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Website
MoveOn.org, a progressive political organization, and Brave New Films, LLC, a politically oriented film company, created a video parodying Comedy Central's Colbert Report. The video, entitled "Stop the Falsiness," shows clips of the Colbert Report interspersed...
- 02/13/2008 - 6:27pm - 0 comments

City of West Bend v. Buss

Date: 11/29/2007
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Withdrawn
Type: Criminal Investigation
Jurisdiction: Wisconsin
Publication: Blog
James Buss, a high school teacher in Wisconsin, anonymously posted a comment on the Boots and Sabers blog under the name "Observer." In the comment, Buss stated that high teacher salaries made him sick and appeared to praise the Columbine...
- 02/13/2008 - 5:10pm - 0 comments

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