Finding Nemo/Pierrot Le Poisson Clown

[single317dad]

This case was litigated in France.

I remember when the case was in the news, but I had never heard the final resolution. The author seemed to have a strong case (according to media reports), having published his book a year before the Nemo release.

http://www.today.com/id/3840185/ns/today-entertainment/t/author-claims-finding-nemo-plagiarism/#.VNJPQC7LiUk

http://www.today.com/id/3840185/ns/today-entertainment/t/author-claims-finding-nemo-plagiarism/#.VNJPQC7LiUk

Then things started falling apart, as the judge threw out some of the author's arguments.

http://www.forbes.com/2004/03/12/cx_al_0312nemo.html

http://www.forbes.com/2004/03/12/cx_al_0312nemo.html

Le Calvez eventually lost the case, but filed another one.

http://pixarplanet.com/blog/french-author-convicted-of-fraud

http://pixarplanet.com/blog/french-author-convicted-of-fraud

That's when things really took a bad turn for our protagonist.

 

[quincy]

Disney was able to show that Nemo was a character created before Franck Le Calvez created Pierrot, which certainly helped in their defense.

It needs to be a very clear and carefully investigated case of infringement for any smart person to attempt a legal battle against Disney. Although Disney has lost infringement suits in the past (generally after years of litigating the case), Disney attorneys are well-versed in the law and are willing to spend outrageous amounts of money to prove it.

I think what trips up many who believe their written works have been infringed is not knowing that ideas cannot be copyrighted. It is only when the expression of an idea is the same or substantially similar to another's work can an infringement suit be sufficiently supported.

And the date the works are fixed in tangible form is important. Le Calvez learned that.

 

[Ohiogal]

I still think the woman who accused Disney of stealing her autobiography to make Frozen is going to lose ...

 

[Zigner]

This case was litigated in France.

Sorry - US law only.

 

[Ohiogal]

Sorry - US law only.

Brat!

 

[quincy]

I still think the woman who accused Disney of stealing her autobiography to make Frozen is going to lose ...

Yup. She will probably lose.

Here is a link to a thread posted awhile ago that discusses the woman's suit against Disney over Frozen. Disney has been sued twice (so far) over the movie.

https://forum.freeadvice.com/copyrights-trademarks-39/disney-sued-over-frozen-609807.html

Maybe some people see the name "Disney" and envision a big pay day ahead if they sue. To pilfer some of single317dad's words, these suits generally take a bad turn for the protagonists.