Intellectual Property – 2008 Winter Bulletin

Contents

• California’s Amended Right of Publicity Statute (California Civil Code § 3344.1)
• Ethical Limits on Investigations in IP Litigation
• Quick Updates

California’s Amended Right of Publicity Statute (California Civil Code § 3344.1)

By Songmee Connolly

After unanimous approval by the California Assembly and the California Senate, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed S.B. 771 into law on October 10, 2007, amending California Civil Code section 3344.1. The amended statute clarifies the scope of the statutory post-mortem right of publicity and expressly abrogates the summary judgment orders in Milton H. Greene Archives, Inc. v. CMG Worldwide, Inc., Case No. CV 05-2200 MMM (MCx) (C.D. Cal. May 14, 2007) and Shaw Family Archives, Ltd. V. CMG Worldwide, Inc., Case No. 05 Civ. 3939 (CM) (S.D.N.Y. May 2, 2007). The law became effective January 1, 2008.