Andersen et al v. Stability AI Ltd. et al

Filing 59

Joinder re 50 MOTION to Strike Under California Code of Civil Procedure § 425.16 by Stability AI Ltd., Stability AI, Inc.. (Schoenhard, Paul) (Filed on 4/18/2023)

Case 3:23-cv-00201-WHO Document 59 Filed 04/18/23 Page 1 of 3

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Mark A. Lemley (State Bar No. 155830)
LEX LUMINA PLLC
745 Fifth Avenue, Suite 500
New York, NY 10151
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Nicole M. Jantzi (pro hac vice)
Paul M. Schoenhard (pro hac vice)
FRIED, FRANK, HARRIS, SHRIVER
& JACOBSON LLP
801 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
Telephone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
[e-mail]

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(Additional counsel on signature page)
Counsel for Defendant Stability, Ltd.
and Stability AI, Inc.

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION

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SARAH ANDERSEN, an individual;
KELLY MCKERNAN, an individual;
KARLA ORTIZ, an individual,
Individual and Representative Plaintiffs,
v.
STABILITY AI LTD., a UK corporation;
STABILITY AI, INC., a Delaware
corporation; MIDJOURNEY, INC., a
Delaware corporation; DEVIANTART,
INC., a Delaware corporation,

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CASE NO. 23-cv-00201-WHO
DEFENDANT STABILITY AI, LTD. AND
STABILITY AI, INC’S NOTICE OF
JOINDER IN DEFENDANT DEVIANTART,
INC.’S SPECIAL MOTION TO STRIKE
UNDER CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL
PROCEDURE § 425.16
Date:
Time:
Place:
Before:

July 19, 2023
2:00 p.m.
Courtroom 2 - 17th Floor
Hon. William H. Orrick

Defendants.
Trial Date: TBD
Date Action Filed: January 13, 2023
NOTICE OF JOINDER AND JOINDER TO ANTI-SLAPP MOTION
-1STABILITY AI, LTD AND STABILITY AI, INC.’S
SPECIAL MOTION TO STRIKE

CASE NO. 3:23-CV-00201

Case 3:23-cv-00201-WHO Document 59 Filed 04/18/23 Page 2 of 3

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TO ALL PARTIES AND THEIR ATTORNEYS OF RECORD:

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NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Defendants Stability AI, Ltd., and Stability AI, Inc.

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(“Stability Defendants”) hereby join in DeviantArt, Inc.’s (“DeviantArt”) Special Motion to Strike

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Under California Code of Civil Procedure § 425.16 (“Motion”) (Dkt. 50).

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The Stability Defendants join in DeviantArt’s Motion and all supporting papers submitted

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therewith, for all the reasons stated therein, namely, that Plaintiffs’ cannot demonstrate a

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probability of prevailing on their speech-inhibiting right of publicity claims because the claims:

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(1) fall within the subject matter of copyright, are predicated on assertions of rights that are

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equivalent to copyright rights, and are therefore preempted under 17 U.S.C. § 301; (2) are based

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exclusively on conclusory allegations; (3) would improperly expand the concept of publicity rights

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to prohibit use of an individual’s name to accurately refer to that individual’s public acts or

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achievements—in this case, the “artistic styles” that Plaintiffs claim they “popularized” on the

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internet (¶ 205); and (4) are predicated on, if anything, transformative uses of Plaintiffs’ identities

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or likenesses, which are protected First Amendment speech, particularly inasmuch as Plaintiffs,

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themselves, allege that it is nearly “impossible” to identify any alleged Work of Plaintiffs from the

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face of any output from defendants’ platforms. (¶¶ 192–93.)

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By way of this joinder, the Stability Defendants request that the Court grant the Motion
and strike Plaintiffs’ right-of-publicity claims against the Stability Defendants.

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Dated: April 18, 2023

Respectfully submitted,
By: /s/ Paul M. Schoenhard

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Mark A. Lemley (State Bar No. 155830)
LEX LUMINA PLLC
745 Fifth Avenue, Suite 500
New York, NY 10151
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

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Nicole M. Jantzi (pro hac vice)
Paul M. Schoenhard (pro hac vice)
-2STABILITY AI, LTD AND STABILITY AI, INC.’S
SPECIAL MOTION TO STRIKE

CASE NO. 3:23-CV-00201

Case 3:23-cv-00201-WHO Document 59 Filed 04/18/23 Page 3 of 3

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FRIED, FRANK, HARRIS, SHRIVER
& JACOBSON LLP
801 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
Telephone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
[e-mail]
Michael C. Keats (pro hac vice)
Amir R. Ghavi (pro hac vice)
FRIED, FRANK, HARRIS, SHRIVER
& JACOBSON LLP
One New York Plaza
New York, NY 10004
Telephone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
[e-mail]

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Counsel for Defendant Stability AI, Ltd. and
Stability AI, Inc.

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-3STABILITY AI, LTD AND STABILITY AI, INC.’S
SPECIAL MOTION TO STRIKE

CASE NO. 3:23-CV-00201