`Case 2:17-cv-06882-MWF-AS Document 135-1 Filed 08/08/22 Page 1 of 3 Page ID #:3774
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`Peter Anderson, Esq. (Cal. Bar No. 88891)
`peteranderson@dwt.com
`Sean M. Sullivan, Esq. (Cal. Bar No. 229104)
`seansullivan@dwt.com
`Eric H. Lamm, Esq. (Cal. Bar No. 324153)
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`ericlamm@dwt.com
`DAVIS WRIGHT TREMAINE LLP
`865 South Figueroa Street, 24th Floor
`Los Angeles, California 90017-2566
`Telephone: (213) 633-6800
`Fax: (213) 633-6899
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`Attorneys for Defendants
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`J. Douglas Baldridge, Esq.
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`jbaldridge@venable.com
`Katherine Wright Morrone, Esq.
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`kwmorrone@venable.com
`VENABLE LLP
`600 Massachusetts Avenue NW
`Washington, DC 20001
`Telephone: (202) 344-4000
`Fax: (202) 344-8300
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`Attorney for Defendant
`TAYLOR SWIFT
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`
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`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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`CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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`WESTERN DIVISION
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`Case No. 2:17−cv−06882 MWF (ASx)
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`DEFENDANTS’ MEMORANDUM OF
`POINTS AND AUTHORITIES IN
`SUPPORT OF ALTERNATIVE
`MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY
`JUDGMENT
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`Date: September 29, 2022
`Time: 10:00 a.m.
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`
`
`Courtroom of the Honorable
`Michael W. Fitzgerald
`United States District Judge
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`vs.
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`SEAN HALL, etc., et al.,
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`TAYLOR SWIFT, etc., et al.,
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`Plaintiffs,
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`Defendants.
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`Case 2:17-cv-06882-MWF-AS Document 135-1 Filed 08/08/22 Page 2 of 3 Page ID #:3775
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`MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES
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`1.
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`SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT
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`Defendants are concurrently moving for Summary Judgment on the grounds
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`that Plaintiffs lack standing to assert the alleged copyright infringement claim, that
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`there is no genuine dispute that the creators of Shake It Off did not copy Playas Gon’
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`Play (“Playas”), and that, in any event, the alleged copying—which is disputed—is
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`within the fair use doctrine. If for any reason that Motion is not granted, Defendants
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`move in the alternative for Partial Summary Judgment as to the following two issues.
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`2.
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`IF SUMMARY JUDGMENT IS NOT GRANTED, PARTIAL
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`SUMMARY JUDMGENT IS APPROPRIATE
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`(a) Universal Music Group, Inc., Has Nothing to Do with Shake It Off
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`There is no genuine dispute that defendant Universal Music Group, Inc.
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`(“UMGI”) does not own or exploit Shake It Off. Facts 514-18. As a result, UMGI
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`cannot be liable for the alleged copyright infringement. Perfect 10, Inc. v.
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`Amazon.com, Inc., 508 F.3d 1146, 1159 (9th Cir. 2007) (copyright infringement claim
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`requires, inter alia, proof the defendant “violate[d] at least one exclusive right granted
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`to copyright holders under 17 U.S.C. § 106”). Since Plaintiffs have declined to
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`dismiss UMGI from this case, it is entitled to partial summary judgment and, pursuant
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`to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 54(b), a final judgment in its favor.
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`(b) Plaintiffs’ Damages Are Limited to Their Ownership Interests
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`Should the Court permit Plaintiffs’ claim to proceed, the Court should limit any
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`recovery to their proportionate ownership of Playas. That is so because a co-owner’s
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`“recovery in a copyright case is ‘confined to [its] own part; that is to say, to its own
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`actual damages, to its proper share of any statutory damages, and to its proper share
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`of the profits.’” Manno v. Tennessee Prod. Ctr., Inc., 657 F. Supp. 2d 425, 432
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`(S.D.N.Y. 2009) (quoting Edward B. Marks Music Corp. v. Jerry Vogel Music Co.,
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`140 F.2d 268, 270 (2d Cir. 1944)); Skidmore v. Led Zeppelin, No. CV 15–3462, 2016
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`Case 2:17-cv-06882-MWF-AS Document 135-1 Filed 08/08/22 Page 3 of 3 Page ID #:3776
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`WL 1442461 at *17 (C.D. Cal. Apr. 8, 2016); Botts v. Kompany.com, No. SACV 09-
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`00195, 2013 WL 12137690 at *2 (C.D. Cal. Apr. 10, 2013).
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`Mr. Hall and Mr. Butler have conceded that, by transferring a half or more of
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`their copyright interests to their music publishers, they retain only a 16 2/3% and 25%
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`ownership interest, respectively, in Playas. Facts 517-19. Accordingly, they are
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`limited to 41 2/3% of any recovery.
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`3.
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`CONCLUSION
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`If Summary Judgment is not granted, Defendants respectfully submit that the
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`alternative Motion for Partial Summary Judgment is properly granted.
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`Dated: August 8, 2022
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`
` /s/ Peter Anderson
`Peter Anderson, Esq.
`Sean M. Sullivan, Esq.
`Eric H. Lamm, Esq.
`DAVIS WRIGHT TREMAINE LLP
`Attorneys for Defendants
`
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`J. Douglas Baldridge, Esq.
`Katherine Wright Morrone, Esq.
`VENABLE LLP
`Co-counsel for Defendant
`TAYLOR SWIFT
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`2
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