News

The Show Can Go On: Second Circuit Analyzes Copyright Grants Involving Play Adaptations of “To Kill a Mockingbird”

by Gregory Feit Fans of Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, admirers of walk-and-talk screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, Broadway enthusiasts, and devotees of esoteric copyright law recently hit the Venn diagram jackpot.  That’s thanks to the late July 2025 decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the...

Read More

Second Circuit Permits Sua Sponte Raising Of “Fair Use” Defense For Non-Appearing Defendant

By Gregory Feit Consider the following scenario: A professional photographer sues a company for copyright infringement, alleging that the company displayed her copyright-protected photograph on its website without her authorization.  Although properly served with the photographer’s complaint, the company never appears in the lawsuit.  The photographer moves for a default...

Read More