United States Sixth Circuit

In plaintiff's copyright-infringement case against defendant for infringement of its copyright on George Clinton's song, based on the use of the phrase "Bow wow wow, yippie yo, yippie yea", district court's finding that defendant willfully infringed plaintiff's rights in the song and an award of statutory damages of $88,980 are affirmed where: 1) the jury instructions were not erroneous as a matter of law; and 2) the district court did not abuse its discretion in declining to give the instructions requested by the defendant.

Appellate Information

• Decided 11/04/2009
• Published 11/04/2009

Judges

• Before:  DAUGHTREY, COOK, and FARRIS, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Sixth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Jeffrey D. Goldman, Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp LLP, Los Angeles, California, for Appellants.  Richard S. Busch, King & Ballow, Nashville, Tennessee, for Appellees.   ON BRIEF:  Jeffrey D. Goldman, Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp LLP, Los Angeles, California, Philip M. Kirkpatrick, Dickinson Wright, Nashville, Tennessee, for Appellants.   Richard S. Busch, King & Ballow, Nashville, Tennessee, for Appellees.