A federal judge in California has dismissed Quentin Tarantino’s lawsuit against Gawker Media.
Tarantino filed a lawsuit in January after Gawker.com published a link to his script for “The Hateful Eight.” The lawsuit argued that Gawker “crossed the journalistic line” and that Gawker Media had contributed to copyright infringement.
Tarantino’s suit contended that Gawker “crossed the journalistic line” and that Gawker Media had contributed to copyright infringement.
“There was nothing newsworthy or journalistic about Gawker Media facilitating and encouraging the public’s violation of Plaintiff’s copyright in the Screenplay, and it’s conduct will not shield Gawker Media from liability for their unlawful activity.”
But, Federal Judge John F. Walter sided with Gawker, which had earlier filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in March.
However, Judge John F. Walter sided with Gawker, which had earlier filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in March.
“[N]owhere in these paragraphs or anywhere else in the Complaint does Plaintiff allege a single act of direct infringement committed by any member of the general public that would support Plaintiff’s claim for contributory infringement. Instead, Plaintiff merely speculates that some direct infringement must have taken place. For example, Plaintiff’s Complaint fails to allege the identity of a single third-party infringer, the date, the time, or the details of a single instance of third-party infringement, or, more importantly, how Defendant allegedly caused, induced, or materially contributed to the infringement by those third parties.”
But, the judge did allow for Tarantino to file an additional amendment for his infringement claim, but it should be filed by May 1st.
photo credit: Steve Rhodes via photopin cc
