Griffin et al v. Sheeran et al

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Case Number:

1:17-cv-05221

Court:

New York Southern

Nature of Suit:

Copyright

Judge:

Louis L. Stanton

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Companies

Sectors & Industries:

  1. July 24, 2023

    The Biggest Copyright Decisions Of 2023: A Midyear Report

    In the first half of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court held in a widely anticipated decision that Andy Warhol's portrait of musician Prince wasn't fair use, while the U.S. Copyright Office partially canceled a copyright registration on a comic book after finding its illustrations came from an artificial intelligence platform. Here's a look at the most significant copyright decisions of 2023 so far.

  2. May 08, 2023

    Ed Sheeran Followed Pop Star Tradition With Trial Gambit

    It's often said that trials are carefully choreographed performances. This old adage took on new meaning in a copyright case that featured numerous serenades from Ed Sheeran, a strategy long used by litigation-plagued musicians to charm jurors and demonstrate the defendant is talented enough to succeed without copying.

  3. May 04, 2023

    Ed Sheeran Trial Shows Mashups Are Hardly A 'Smoking Gun'

    Pop singer Ed Sheeran notched a win Thursday that his Grammy-winning song "Thinking Out Loud" did not rip off Marvin Gaye's classic "Let's Get It On" after the plaintiffs leaned heavily on a mashup Sheeran played of the two songs at a concert, but mashups aren't necessarily a "smoking gun" in copyright disputes, experts told Law360.

  4. May 04, 2023

    Ed Sheeran Wins 'Thinking Out Loud' Copyright Trial

    A Manhattan federal jury deliberated for just 2.5 hours Thursday before determining that Ed Sheeran's Grammy-winning song "Thinking Out Loud" did not copy from Marvin Gaye's Motown classic "Let's Get It On," dealing a win to the British singer-songwriter in a long-running copyright case.

  5. May 03, 2023

    Ed Sheeran Trial Loss Would Harm Musicians, Atty Warns

    Ed Sheeran's lawyer warned a Manhattan federal jury Wednesday that a copyright infringement verdict against the singer-songwriter would stifle musical creativity, while counsel for the partial owners of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" copyright said the trial is merely about giving "credit where credit is due."

  6. May 01, 2023

    Ed Sheeran Calls Expert's Report 'Criminal' At IP Trial

    Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran argued heatedly with opposing counsel in Manhattan federal court Monday and said it was "criminal" for an expert witness to claim his song "Thinking Out Loud" copied the melody from Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On."

  7. April 27, 2023

    Ed Sheeran Sings To Jury In 'Let's Get It On' Copyright Trial

    Pop star Ed Sheeran pulled out a guitar and performed portions of his Grammy-winning song "Thinking Out Loud" to a Manhattan federal jury on Thursday, as part of a copyright trial over the track's alleged similarities to Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On."

  8. April 26, 2023

    'Let's Get It On' Heir Collapses During Ed Sheeran IP Trial

    The daughter of the co-writer of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" collapsed in Manhattan federal court Wednesday amid trial testimony about alleged similarities between the Motown classic and Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud."

  9. April 25, 2023

    Ed Sheeran Denies Copying Marvin Gaye In IP Trial Testimony

    British pop star Ed Sheeran took the witness stand in Manhattan federal court Tuesday for the first day of a copyright trial over his ballad "Thinking Out Loud," denying that he copied Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" and testily sparring with opposing counsel.

  10. April 24, 2023

    Ed Sheeran IP Trial To Open After Musical Jury Selection

    A trial over whether Ed Sheeran's pop hit "Thinking Out Loud" copied Marvin Gaye's iconic "Let's Get It On" is set to begin Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, following a voir dire process that eliminated music professionals and Sheeran fans from the jury panel.