The Ninth Circuit affirmed a ruling against Gotham Garage, a maker of replica automobiles from movies and television shows. Gotham Garage sells a “Batmobile,” which looks like the original. DC Comics claims it owns a copyright in the Batmobile and the design is protected intellectual property. The Ninth Circuit ruled the Batmobile’s appearance and other distinct attributes make …
Author Archives: blogbusinesslaw
Dewey & LeBoeuf’s Fraud
Posted by Bridget Uribe. During the month of March of 2014, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged three executives: Chairman Steven Davis, Executive Director Stephen DiCarmine, and Chief Financial Officer Joel Sanders of Dewey & LeBoeuf, the international law firm, with facilitating a $150 million fraudulent bond offerings. The SEC alleged that the three …
Why Ignorance Really Isn’t Bliss: SEC vs. Och Ziff
Posted by Radhika Kapadia. The real cost of bribery is a question that often lacks a definitive answer. It seems that Och-Ziff Capital Management, a hedge fund headquartered in New York City, is learning a hard lesson for allegedly engaging in bribery in Africa. The firm is set to pay a hefty price of $412 million …
Continue reading “Why Ignorance Really Isn’t Bliss: SEC vs. Och Ziff”
Justices Mull the Constitutionality of “Refusal” Statutes
Several states have statutes that make it a crime to refuse to take a breathalyzer if suspected of driving under the influence. Some states, like New Jersey, make refusal a civil offense. The High Court is reviewing statutes in North Dakota and Minnesota that make it a crime for people suspected of drunken driving to refuse to take …
Continue reading “Justices Mull the Constitutionality of “Refusal” Statutes”
The Principle of Double Effect
Research proposal posted by Jessica Page. Topic The principle of double effect creates a set of guidelines to “determine when it is ethically permissible for a human being to engage in conduct in pursuit of a good end with full knowledge that the conduct will also bring about bad results” (The Principle of Double Effect). Generally, …
Martinez v. Denver Police
Posted by Peyton Adams. The Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment have been overlooked by authorities many times in the past. The Martinez vs Denver Police case is yet another time this has occurred. The Denver police forcefully entered the Martinez house on January 27, 2009. Instead of allowing Mr. Martinez to fully open the door to …
Fox News Co-Anchor Sues for Appropriation
Fox News’ Harris Faulkner, co-anchor of the daytime show Outnumbered, sued Hasbro toy company for $5 million. Hasbro sold a toy hamster named the “Harris Faulkner Hamster Doll” as part of their “Littlest Pet Shop” product line. In the complaint, Faulkner alleges unfair competition under the Lanham Act and common law violation of right to publicity. …
Continue reading “Fox News Co-Anchor Sues for Appropriation”
First Federal Unit to Identify Wrongful Convictions
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington D.C. is the first federal office to set up a unit to identify anyone wrongfully convicted of a crime. The Conviction Integrity Unit will review cases where defendants offer new evidence that was not available at the original trial, such as DNA evidence, to prove their innocence. Ronald Machen, …
Continue reading “First Federal Unit to Identify Wrongful Convictions”
Examine Cyber Monday Deals Closely and Shop Safely
Posted by France Jennica Osmann. As the holidays are approaching, Cyber Monday is the main day of the year where families are out for great deals for Christmas shopping online. A recent article in the San Jose Mercury News stated: Cyber Monday is not the only day to find good deals online during the holiday season. If …
Continue reading “Examine Cyber Monday Deals Closely and Shop Safely”
NY Fed Whistleblower Could Prompt Congressional Investigation
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has come under fire recently with the release of secret tapes supposedly of regulators planning to “go soft” on Goldman Sachs. Carmen Segarra, a former employee who was assigned to Goldman, claims in a lawsuit that she was under pressure by her superiors to overlook certain findings she made concerning the …
Continue reading “NY Fed Whistleblower Could Prompt Congressional Investigation”