NY court rejects $18M class action writers deal
Recent Cases
A federal appeals court in New York has rejected an $18 million class action settlement reached after freelance writers sued publishers.
The writers had said their copyrights were infringed upon when their works were reprinted online without permission.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said Wednesday the 2005 deal had to be scrapped because the plaintiffs didn't adequately represent all members of the class. It says more than 99 percent of claims wouldn't be covered by the settlement because they involved writers who hadn't registered copyrights.
The settlement was reached after the Supreme Court in 2001 ruled freelance writers have online rights to their work. The case largely applied to articles, photographs and illustrations produced 15 or more years ago.
Related listings
-
Ex-Harvard student due in court in 2009 shooting
Recent Cases 08/15/2011A former Harvard student accused of hiding the gun used in a fatal shooting inside a university dormitory is due in court. Brittany Smith is one of four people who were charged in connection with the shooting of 21-year-old Justin Cosby of Cambridge....
-
Dougherty siblings to appear in Colorado court
Recent Cases 08/12/2011A woman caught with her two brothers after a nationwide manhunt told Colorado authorities she "deserved to get shot" after pointing a gun at a police chief at the end of the siblings' run from the law, according to a court document. Lee Grace Dougher...
-
Wash. man pleads guilty to defrauding ID investors
Recent Cases 08/10/2011A Washington man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Idaho to cheating investors out of more than $2 million and using the cash for his own benefit. Federal prosecutors say 59-year-old Dale Edward Lowell, of Colbert, Wash., pleaded guilty to one c...
Is Now the Time to Really Call a Special Education Lawyer?
IDEA, FAPE, CHILD FIND and IEPs: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees all children with disabilities to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). FAPE starts with a school’s responsibility to identify that a child has a disability (Child Find) and create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to suit the needs of the child. Parents need to be persistent, dedicated and above all else aware of the many services and accommodations that their child is entitled to under the law. As early as this point within your child’s special education, many parents will often find themselves in the situation asking, “is now the time to really call a special education lawyer.” Here are a few things to consider when asking yourself that question.