Alt Legal IP News – Issue #121
Justin Wickersham | January 08, 2019
High Court
– Justice Alito has unrecused himself, which he has previously done nine times, in the ongoing Oracle copyright case.
– The Supreme Court has two copyright cases on their January argument calendar. One will try to resolve when registration of a copyright claim has “been made.”
– The Court will also hear a trademark case, Iancu v. Brunetti, to decide if trademark protection can be denied to scandalous or immoral brands.
Cultivating a Look
– Apple may start making smart fabric.
– Athletes’ tattoos are causing problems for video game developers. The ongoing NBA 2K case offers two interesting arguments on the issue. We’ve also written about this issue on our blog!
– An IP office scoffed at Cartier’s attempt to register “love” as a trademark in connection with the sale of their signature bracelets.
New Frontiers
– The Farm Bill 2018 created new intellectual property protection for asexually reproduced plants.
– Cannabis IP patents have doubled in the last decade.
– Many companies may race to patent AI in 2019, and, so far, Microsoft is winning.
Odds and Ends
– Looking to make some trademark resolutions in 2019? Here are some ideas.
– Recycling patents can help companies innovate.
– Due to an ongoing patent battle with Qualcomm, Apple must stop selling iPhones 7 and 8 in Germany.
– A copyright infringement case against Ed Sheeran for allegedly copying “Let’s Get It On” is headed to a jury.
– PopSugar’s twinning app has been very popular on social media. But how many people read the terms of service before submitting a selfie?