Righthaven LLC v. Gunner's Alley LLC et al
Filing
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COMPLAINT against Affordable Hunting Trips, Gunner's Alley LLC, Bradford Justus (Filing fee $ 350 receipt number 0978-1977078), filed by Righthaven LLC. Certificate of Interested Parties due by 5/15/2011. Proof of service due by 9/2/2011. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1, # 2 Exhibit 2, # 3 Exhibit 3, # 4 Civil Cover Sheet, # 5 Summons Gunner's Alley, LLC, # 6 Summons Affordable Hunting Trips, # 7 Summons Bradford Justus) (Mangano, Shawn) (Entered: 05/05/2011)
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SHAWN A. MANGANO, ESQ.
Nevada Bar No. 6730
shawn@manganolaw.com
SHAWN A. MANGANO, LTD.
9960 West Cheyenne Avenue, Suite 170
Las Vegas, Nevada 89129-7701
Tel: (702) 304-0432
Fax: (702) 922-3851
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Attorney for Plaintiff Righthaven LLC
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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DISTRICT OF NEVADA
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RIGHTHAVEN LLC, a Nevada limitedliability company,
Case No.: 2:11-cv-00719
COMPLAINT AND DEMAND
FOR JURY TRIAL
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Plaintiff,
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v.
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GUNNER’S ALLEY, LLC., a North Carolina
limited-liability company; AFFORDABLE
HUNTING TRIPS, an entity of unknown
origin and nature; and BRADFORD JUSTUS,
an individual,
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Defendants.
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Righthaven LLC (“Righthaven”) complains as follows against Gunner’s Alley, LLC
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(“Gunner’s Alley”), Affordable Hunting Trips (“Affordable Hunting Trips”) and Bradford Justus
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(“Mr. Justus”; collectively with Gunner’s Alley and Affordable Hunting Trips known herein as
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the “Defendants”) on information and belief, and at all times relevant to this lawsuit, unless
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otherwise specifically indicated herein to the contrary:
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NATURE OF ACTION
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1.
This is an action for copyright infringement pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 501.
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PARTIES
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2.
Righthaven is a Nevada limited-liability company with its principal place of
business in Nevada.
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3.
Righthaven is in good standing with the Nevada Secretary of State.
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4.
Gunner’s Alley is a North Carolina limited-liability company.
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5.
Mr. Justus is identified by the North Carolina Secretary of State business entity
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database, as a manager of Gunner’s Alley.
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6.
Affordable Hunting Trips is an entity of unknown origin and nature.
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7.
Attempts to find evidence of the formal organizational status in the respective
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Secretary of State offices of Delaware, California, Illinois, Nevada, New York, North Carolina,
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Texas and Tennessee demonstrate that, at least with respect to these states, Affordable Hunting
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Trips is not a formally organized business entity.
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8.
Gunner’s Alley is identified by the current registrar, GoDaddy.com (“GoDaddy”),
as the registrant of the Internet domain found at (the “Domain”).
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Gunner’s Alley is identified by GoDaddy as an administrative contact and
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technical contact of the Domain (the content accessible through the Domain and the Domain
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itself known herein as the “Website”).
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Mr. Justus is identified by GoDaddy as an administrative contact and technical
contact of the Domain.
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Affordable Hunting Trips is the self-proclaimed owner of the copyright(s) in the
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work(s) displayed on the Website, as evidenced by a copyright notice displayed on the Website:
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“Copyright © 2008 – 2010 Affordable Hunting Trips”.
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JURISDICTION
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12.
This Court has original subject matter jurisdiction over this copyright
infringement action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and 28 U.S.C. § 1338(a).
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Righthaven is the owner of the copyright in the literary work entitled, “Leading
like a deer in headlights” (the “Work”), attached hereto as Exhibit 1.
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On or about April 3, 2011, the Defendants displayed, and continue to display, an
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unauthorized reproduction of the Work (the “Infringement”), attached hereto as Exhibit 2, on the
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Website.
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The Work has depicted and depicts the original source publication as the Las
Vegas Review-Journal.
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The Defendants willfully copied, on an unauthorized basis, the Work from a
source emanating from Nevada.
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The Defendants knew that the Work was originally published in the Las Vegas
Review-Journal.
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18.
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Nevada residents.
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The Defendants knew that the Infringement was and is of specific interest to
The Infringement, as publically displayed on the Website, was and is accessible in
Nevada.
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20.
The Infringement occurred and continues to occur in Nevada.
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21.
The Defendants’ display of the Infringement was and is purposefully directed at
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Nevada residents.
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VENUE
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The United States District Court for the District of Nevada is an appropriate
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venue, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b)(2), because a substantial part of the events giving rise to
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the claim for relief are situated in Nevada.
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The United States District Court for the District of Nevada is an appropriate
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venue, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1400 (a), because the Defendants are subject to personal
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jurisdiction in Nevada.
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FACTS
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The Work constitutes copyrightable subject matter, pursuant to 17 U.S.C. §
102(a)(1).
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Righthaven is the owner of the copyrights in and to the Work.
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The Work was originally published on April 3, 2011.
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27.
On or about April 29, 2011, the United States Copyright Office (the “USCO”)
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received Righthaven’s official submittal for the registration of the Work, including the
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application, the deposit copy, and the registration fee (the “Complete Application”), Service
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Request No. 1-602631343, and attached hereto as Exhibit 3 is the official USCO application
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submittal for the Work depicting the occurrence of the Complete Application.
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On or about April 3, 2011, the Defendants displayed, and continue to display, the
Infringement on the Website.
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The Defendants did not seek permission, in any manner, to reproduce, display or
otherwise exploit the Work.
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The Defendants were not granted permission, in any manner, to reproduce,
display, or otherwise exploit the Work.
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CLAIM FOR RELIEF: COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT
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Righthaven repeats and realleges the allegations set forth in Paragraphs 1 through
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Righthaven holds the exclusive right to reproduce the Work, pursuant to 17
U.S.C. § 106(1).
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Righthaven holds the exclusive right to prepare derivative works based upon the
Work, pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 106(2).
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Righthaven holds the exclusive right to distribute copies of the Work, pursuant to
17 U.S.C. § 106(3).
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Righthaven holds the exclusive right to publicly display the Work, pursuant to 17
U.S.C. § 106(5).
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The Defendants reproduced the Work in derogation of Righthaven’s exclusive
rights under 17 U.S.C. § 106(1).
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The Defendants created an unauthorized derivative of the Work in derogation of
Righthaven’s exclusive rights under 17 U.S.C. § 106(2).
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The Defendants distributed, and continue to distribute, an unauthorized
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reproduction of the Work on the Website, in derogation of Righthaven’s exclusive rights under
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17 U.S.C. § 106(3).
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39.
The Defendants publicly displayed, and continue to display, an unauthorized
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reproduction of the Work on the Website, in derogation of Righthaven’s exclusive rights under
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17 U.S.C. § 106(5).
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40.
Gunner’s Alley has willfully engaged in the copyright infringement of the Work.
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41.
Affordable Hunting Trips has willfully engaged in the copyright infringement of
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the Work.
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42.
Mr. Justus has willfully engaged in the copyright infringement of the Work.
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43.
The Defendants’ acts as alleged herein, and the ongoing direct results of those
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acts, have caused and will continue to cause irreparable harm to Righthaven in an amount
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Righthaven cannot ascertain, leaving Righthaven with no adequate remedy at law.
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44.
Unless the Defendants are preliminarily and permanently enjoined from further
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infringement of the Work, Righthaven will be irreparably harmed, and Righthaven is thus
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entitled to preliminary and permanent injunctive relief against further infringement by the
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Defendants of the Work, pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 502.
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PRAYER FOR RELIEF
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Righthaven requests that this Court grant Righthaven’s claim for relief herein as follows:
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1.
Preliminarily and permanently enjoin and restrain the Defendants, and the
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Defendants’ officers, agents, servants, employees, attorneys, parents, subsidiaries, related
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companies, partners, and all persons acting for, by, with, through, or under the Defendants, from
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directly or indirectly infringing the Work by reproducing the Work, preparing derivative works
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based on the Work, distributing the Work to the public, and/or displaying the Work, or ordering,
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directing, participating in, or assisting in any such activity;
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Direct the Defendants to preserve, retain, and deliver to Righthaven in hard copies
or electronic copies:
a.
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All evidence and documentation relating in any way to the Defendants’
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use of the Work, in any form, including, without limitation, all such evidence and
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documentation relating to the Website;
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All evidence and documentation relating to the names and addresses
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(whether electronic mail addresses or otherwise) of any person with whom the
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Defendants have communicated regarding the Defendants’ use of the Work; and
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of the Work;
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3.
All financial evidence and documentation relating to the Defendants’ use
Order the surrender to Righthaven of all hardware, software, electronic media and
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domains, including the Domain used to store, disseminate and display the unauthorized versions
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of any and all copyrighted works as provided for under 17 U.S.C. § 505(b) and/or as authorized
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by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 64;
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4.
Award Righthaven statutory damages for the willful infringement of the Work,
pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 504(c);
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Award Righthaven costs, disbursements, and attorneys’ fees incurred by
Righthaven in bringing this action, pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 505;
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Award Righthaven pre- and post-judgment interest in accordance with applicable
law; and
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Grant Righthaven such other relief as this Court deems appropriate.
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DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
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Righthaven requests a trial by jury pursuant to Rule 38 of the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure.
Dated this 5th day of May, 2011.
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SHAWN A. MANGANO, LTD.
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By: /s/ Shawn A. Mangano
SHAWN A. MANGANO, ESQ.
Nevada Bar No. 6730
shawn@manganolaw.com
9960 West Cheyenne Avenue, Suite 170
Las Vegas, Nevada 89129-7701
Tel: (702) 304-0432
Fax: (702) 922-3851
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Attorney for Plaintiff Righthaven LLC
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