Harry Potter Copyright Lawsuit Disappears with a Win
J.K. Rowling by Mike Marsland/WireImage.com; Daniel Radcliffe courtesy Warner Bros.
Harry Potter author
J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers have won a copyright lawsuit that challenged the publication of an unauthorized
Potter compendium.
Rowling and Warners
went to court earlier this year in an effort to stop the publication of Steven Vander Ark's
Harry Potter Lexicon by RDR Books. The tome was to be based on a website for fans of Rowling's massively popular books.
New York judge Robert Patterson ruled that the planned compendium would infringe Rowling's copyright, says the
Reporter. Patterson also issued an injunction to halt the Lexicon's publication, and argued that it borrowed too much from Rowling's work to be considered acceptable for fair use.
He awarded Rowling and the studio $6,750 in statutory damages.
"I took no pleasure at all in bringing legal action and am delighted that this issue has been resolved favorably," Rowling said. "I went to court to uphold the right of authors everywhere to protect their own original work."
RDR Books, meanwhile, said was not thrilled with the outcome. The company is said to be considering all its remaining legal options, which may include an appeal, among other plans.
Do you think the outcome was fair? Or a has it cast a bad spell over fair use issues? -
Anna Dimond
Related:
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J.K. Rowling Testifies Today in Lawsuit
