United States Second Circuit

In an action for copyright infringement arising from the release of an album entitled "No More Drama" by performer defendant Mary J. Blige, the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul," summary judgment for defendants on plaintiff's copyright-related claims is vacated, as an action for infringement by one co-author of a song cannot be defeated by "retroactive" transfer of copyright ownership from another co-author to an alleged infringer.

Appellate Information

• Decided 10/05/2007
• Published 10/05/2007

Judges

• JOSÉ A. CABRANES, Circuit Judge:, Before:  WINTER and CABRANES, Circuit Judges, and KORMAN, District Judge.

Court

• United States Second Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Richard J. J. Scarola (Alexander Zubatov, on the brief), Scarola Ellis LLP, New York, NY, for Plaintiff-Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Jonathan D. Davis, New York, NY, for Defendants-Appellees Mary J. Blige and Mary J. Blige Music., Cynthia S. Arato, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, New York, NY, for Defendants-Appellees Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Dana Stinson, and Dayna's Day Publishing., Andrew H. Bart, Jenner & Block LLP, New York, NY, for Defendants-Appellees Universal Music Group, Inc., Universal Studios, Inc., Universal Music Publishing, Inc., Universal-MCA Music Publishing, a division of Universal Studios, Inc., Universal Music & Video Distribution Corp., and MCA Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc., Gregory J. Watford, New York, NY, for Defendants-Appellees Ronald Lawrence and Ausar Music Publishing, Ltd., George T. Gilbert, New York, NY, for Defendant-Appellee Bruce Miller.