sophisticatedjanedoe 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (235)

• On the post: Team Prenda Finally Goes To Jail: Hansmeier & Steele Indicted & Arrested

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 21 Dec, 2016 @ 06:58am

  Re:

  Despite that Voelker is a superlaywer, I doubt he knows anything about the loot. Duffy did not know everything either to begin with. I'm more surprised that Adam Urbanczyk didn't appear in the indictment, even by initials, although the collusion and faux defendants were mentioned.

• On the post: Team Prenda Finally Goes To Jail: Hansmeier & Steele Indicted & Arrested

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 18 Dec, 2016 @ 12:02pm

  Re: Should have demanded a pinky promise too

  Correct me if I'm wrong, but requirement to surrender one's passport is a common part of criminal indictment.

• On the post: Command Line Interface Copyright Case: Not Fair Use… But Not Infringing Thanks To Scenes A Faire

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 16 Dec, 2016 @ 09:29am

  Scènes à faire is undervalued and underused. I've been arguing for years that this doctrine renders 99% of pornography not copyrightable.

• On the post: Take Note: Copyright Troll Gets Stiff Response From Someone It Tried To Bully, Immediately Runs Away

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 12 Nov, 2016 @ 08:50pm

  My take

• On the post: Conspiracy Theories Run Amok Over Copyright Office Executive Changes

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 02 Nov, 2016 @ 09:49am

  Copyright maximalists use "Google' the same way that Rastafarians use the term 'Babylon.'

• On the post: Canada Copyright Troll Threatens Octogenarian Over Download Of A Zombie War Game

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 31 Oct, 2016 @ 12:43pm

  Nothing new, but no less disgusting.

• On the post: With Interest In Profile Defenders' Questionable Lawsuits Rising, The Lawsuits Start Falling

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 26 Oct, 2016 @ 07:10am

  Re: "Well, we had to drop that case. Time to focus on the other 27 currently in the works..."

  I share your pessimism. While reading this story, I couldn't help seeing a parallel between this fraud and Prenda's Cook county shenanigans. If you don't remember, Steele/Hansmeier colluded with a "defense" attorney Adam Urbanczyk in order to secure an "agreed order" to subpoena ISPs for addresses of thousands of future shakedown targets. I wrote about it 4 years ago. Judge Taylor clearly saw this massive fraud, there is absolutely no doubt about it, yet a mild slap of the wrist was the only result. It took federal courts, dedicated attorneys, and 4 more years to dismantle Prenda. Meanwhile, Steele is still practicing (as well as disbarred Hansmeier - vicariously through his wife), shaking down small businesses. And if Urbanczyk is ever indicted over this, I'll be immensely surprised.

• On the post: Actor James Woods Gloats Over Death Of Random Twitter Troll He Sued To Unmask [Updated]

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 21 Oct, 2016 @ 10:55am

  Does anyone know the origins of Woods's high IQ myth?

• On the post: Skittles Photographer Actually Sues Trump Campaign Over Infringement

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 20 Oct, 2016 @ 06:48am

  Venue

  To say that the following justification for the venue is weak would be an understatement:

  1. This Court has personal jurisdiction over Defendants Trump for President, Inc., Trump Sr., Trump Jr., and Pence because they do business and/or transact business within the State of Illinois. Defendants Trump for President, Inc., Trump Sr., Trump Jr. and Pence have conducted tortious acts of infringement in the Northern District of Illinois, conducted acts directed at this District, and/or transacted or done business within this District.

  2. Defendants have social media profiles wherein they have individuals who follow their social media posts (hereinafter “Followers”). Defendants have Followers in Illinois and in the Northern District. Defendants actively sought to campaign in the Northern District of Illinois and have scheduled and promoted rallies in support of the same.

  Ohai, John Steele & Guava LLC.

• On the post: Skittles Photographer Actually Sues Trump Campaign Over Infringement

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 20 Oct, 2016 @ 06:40am

  How badly copyright law is fucked up? I'm rooting for Trump in this dispute.
  
  That's how.

• On the post: Prenda (Mostly) Loses Again; Court Says 'We Warned You To Stop Digging, But You Still Did'

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 22 Jul, 2016 @ 09:29am

  Re: Re: The chewbacca defense?

  I don't have time to review Prenda's argument in this case, but it is worth noting that a year ago during the 9th Circuit appeal argument, Prenda's attorney specifically asked for that -- to judges' disbelief:
  
  Judge Pregerson: "Do you want us to send this back and have it turn into a criminal contempt? Is that what you want?"
  
  Daniel Voelker: "At a minimum? Absolutely, You Honor: my clients want their day in court..."
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObZDipKRH0c -- skip to 16:50

• On the post: A Dozen Bad Ideas That Were Raised At The Copyright Office's DMCA Roundtables

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 21 Jul, 2016 @ 09:47am

  Obligatory video link: https://vimeo.com/45864549

• On the post: Prenda (Mostly) Loses Again; Court Says 'We Warned You To Stop Digging, But You Still Did'

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 20 Jul, 2016 @ 06:18am

  "Duffy is now deceased and so beyond our jurisdiction."

• On the post: Bill Introduced To Create Copyright Small Claims Court… Which Copyright Trolls Are Going To Love

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 15 Jul, 2016 @ 06:30pm

  Also, the very people who are supposed to benefit from this law, most likely would be in disadvantage.
  
  While copyright trolls are experienced in scaring people into paying, folks with legitimate grievances are not. The tribunal call can issue an injunction... and then what? There is no “small enforcement” procedure and the losing side can safely ignore the judgement because in order to collect, a "winner" will necessarily have to face significant expense, which is contrary to the whole idea of such system to begin with.
  
  It’s a lose-lose proposition. A bad idea.

• On the post: Malibu Media Sues Its Former Lawyer Over Missing Funds, Breach Of Bar Rules

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 29 Jun, 2016 @ 05:17pm

  Nitpicking: the last Malibu's lawsuit was filed on 4/13, not 4/20. 4/20 was a notice of defendant's appeal.

• On the post: Judge Calls Out Malibu Media For Its Attempt To Cut And Run When Faced With Challenge To Its Infringement Claims

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 28 Jun, 2016 @ 03:18pm

  Breaking: Malibu Media sues its former counsel Keith Lipscomb and his firm for professional negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.
  
  As the first comment aptly notes,
  
  

  Reservoir Dogs? Why is that the name of the movie? a friend once asked me. Well, I told them, in areas with wild dogs they hang out near watering holes, ponds, or puddles or whatever but as the summer goes on in some places it starts to dry up and the dogs, who once shared the water begin to turn on each other.
  
  Humans do it for a lot less than water is the difference.

• On the post: Judge Calls Out Malibu Media For Its Attempt To Cut And Run When Faced With Challenge To Its Infringement Claims

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 28 Jun, 2016 @ 07:38am

  Re: Re: Re:

  But wouldn't the very act of having a judge say that a person is a non infringer completely negate the case?

  
  
  It would, but the judge didn't say that. He just allowed the counterclaim to stay for a future resolution, which will take place either during a trial (not likely) or on a motion for summary judgement.
  
  A common mistake is to conflate case with complaint: while a plaintiff conjures a case by filing the complaint, it does not have power to close the case, only to dismiss its own claims (subject to rules). If the defendant doesn't counterclaim, dismissing the complaint normally results in an administrative closing. However, if the defendant files a counterclaim, the plaintiff has no power over it, and the case stays alive.

• On the post: General Mills Granted A Design Patent On A Tortilla Bowl Because Why Even Pretend Anymore?

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 24 Jun, 2016 @ 08:14am

  If you want to see more design patent absurdities, you should visit Sara Burstein's tumblr or follow her on Twitter.

• On the post: Supreme Court Makes It (Slightly) Easier To Award Attorneys' Fees For Bogus Copyright Lawsuits

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 18 Jun, 2016 @ 02:00pm

  I wrote a clumsy piece yesterday where I opine on the impact of this ruling on copyright trolling.

• On the post: Also A Bad Idea: Gawker Exploring Lawsuit Against Peter Thiel For Tortious Interference & Racketeering

  

  sophisticatedjanedoe ( profile ), 13 Jun, 2016 @ 04:31pm

  Re: Meanith Huon

  Oops, I posted under the wrong article. Should be here. Will cross-post in a few.

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