A.V. et al v. iParadigms, LLC

Filing 1

COMPLAINT against iParadigms, LLC ( Filing fee $ 350 receipt number 100 194098.) filed by A. V., K. W., E. N., M. N.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet # 2 Receipt # 3 Copyright Form)(bhav, )

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A.V. et al v. iParadigms, LLC Doc. 1 Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 1 of 17 FILED UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA (ALEXANDRIA DIVISION) ZC01HAR21 A II: 03 Plaintiffs A. V., K. W., E. N. and M. N., all minors, by their next friends Robert Vanderhye, Kevin Wade, Sr., and Scott Nelson, respectively, and with the support of the McLean Committee for Student Rights, through counsel, hereby say: The Parties 1. Plaintiffs are all minors. A. V. and K. W. reside in the public school district in Fairfax County, Virginia, where McLean High School is located, and are underclassmen at McLean High School ["MHS"], while E. N. and M. N. reside in Arizona and are underclassmen at the public Desert Vista High School in the Tempe Union High School District in Phoenix, Arizona (hereafter collectively "Plaintiffs" and individually "A. V.", Dockets.Justia.com Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 2 of 17 "K. W.", "E. N." or "M. N."). [Plaintiffs names and addresses are not provided in order to comply with Civil Local Rule 7.] 2. The defendant iParadigms, LLC is a corporation of California which has as its headquarters address 1624 Franklin St., 7th Floor, Oakland, California 94612 (hereafter "iParadigms"). iParadigms has a contract with the Fairfax County, Virginia, Public School System from which it obtains substantial yearly revenue, and iParadigms personnel regularly visit the Fairfax County Public School System, or individual schools thereof. Many students in many public high schools in Fairfax County regularly (virtually on a daily basis when school is in session) submit unpublished manuscripts to iParadigms which iParadigms runs a computer check on and then archives in a database. 3. iParadigms' service address for purposes of this complaint, upon agreement of counsel, is c/o James F. Rittinger, Satterlee Stephens Burke & Burke LLP, 230 Park Avenue, Suite 1130, New York, NY 10169. Jurisdiction and Venue 4. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction under 28 U. S. C. §§ 1331 & 1338(a), under the Copyright Act, 17 U. S. C. § 101 et seq. Venue is proper in this judicial district pursuant to 28 U. S. C. § 1391 (b) & (c) since A. V. and K. W. reside in this judicial district and the damage suffered by these plaintiffs occurs in this judicial district. Venue is also proper under 28 U. S. C. § 1400(a) since iParadigms may be found in this judicial district because it engages in extensive, continuous, and on-going commercial activities in this judicial district, including as a result of its on-going contract with the Fairfax County Public School System. Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 3 of 17 5. This Court also has both general and special personal jurisdiction over iParadigms because it has engaged, and still engages, in extensive, continuous, and on going commercial activities in this judicial district, including as a result of its on-going contract with the Fairfax County Public School System, submission of student unpublished manuscripts to it on a daily basis when school is in session in Fairfax County, Virginia, and regular visits by its employees to Fairfax County, and because at least some of the damage to the plaintiffs has been done in Fairfax County. Facts 6. iParadigms is the owner and operator of an alleged "plagiarism detection" system accessible over the Internet through the website Turnitin.com, and known by the trademark Tumitin® [hereafter "the Tumitin system"]. The Tumitin system is capable of detecting only the most ignorant or lazy attempts at plagiarism by students without significant monetary resources, and is ineffective if a plagiarist does anything aside from virtually exactly copying another's work, or obtains his or her paper from a pay web site. As such the Turnitin system serves no public interest whatsoever. Despite these staggering limitations, the Tumitin system is - on information and belief- used by hundreds of institutional clients in more than 70 countries. 7. As part of its marketing effort for the Tumitin system, iParadigms represents that about 100,000 unpublished manuscripts a day written by high school students (most of them minors) are submitted to and archived by iParadigms. This results in a constantly enlarging database, with commensurate significant economic advantage to iParadigms, so much so that in 2003 alone iParadigms had revenues of $10,000,000. However, Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 4 of 17 iParadigms pays nothing to the students, and in most cases archives the unpublished manuscripts even without the consent of the students who submit them. 8. iParadigms has known for several years that the archiving of student authored unpublished manuscripts without the permission of the students is inappropriate; in fact iParadigms' allegedly exculpatory attorney opinion (posted on the turnitin.com web site) states: "The archival of a submitted work is perhaps the most legally sensitive aspect of the TURNITIN system." 9. In addition to archiving student unpublished manuscripts without their permission, iParadigms may send a full and complete copy of a student's unpublished manuscript to an iParadigms client anywhere in the world upon request of the client, and without the student's permission. iParadigms also puts its own copyright notice on receipts students receive acknowledging submission of their unpublished manuscripts to iParadigms, and retains student manuscripts with personal and confidential information thereon in violation of Federal Law. Thus iParadigms acts contrary to the public interest. 10. In about September, 2006, MHS stated for the first time that it was implementing use of the Turnitin system. The Turnitin system had been used by other public high schools in Fairfax County since about 2003. Despite widespread protests by MHS students and parents, starting in October or November, 2006, MHS required all freshmen and sophomores (all of whom are minors) to submit unpublished manuscripts written in response to various class assignments to the Turnitin system. If a student refused he/she was given two choices: get a Zero on the assignment, or "go" to a different school that didn't use the Turnitin system. Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 5 of 17 11. In order to access Turnitin.com, a student is required to sign in, and click on, an "I agree" icon, signifying "agreement" to a contract of adhesion. Unless the student clicks "I agree" the student will not get on the web site, and then will be presented with the choice of getting a Zero on the assignment, or going to another school. The contract of adhesion provides in one paragraph thereof: "This agreement is governed by the laws of the State of California. You hereby consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of courts in Alameda County, California, U. S. A., in all disputes arising out of or relating to the use of this web site. Use of this web site is unauthorized in any jurisdiction that does not give effect to all provisions of these terms and conditions, including without limitation this paragraph." 12. On November 15, 2006, an attorney for students at MHS wrote to iParadigms and demanded that iParadigms stop archiving unpublished manuscripts of identified students who objected to archival. The letter of November 15 set forth in great detail how iParadigms was infringing the rights of the MHS students, and why such archiving was not fair use under 17 U.S.C. § 107. iParadigms never substantively responded to the detailed analysis in the letter, and retains the student manuscripts. Also, without advising the attorney for the students or - on information and belief- anyone else at MHS, iParadigms initiated a bad faith, frivolous, lawsuit against unnamed students at MHS. The bad faith, frivolous, suit was styled as a declaratory judgment action in Federal Court in the Northern District of California, located in San Francisco County. The suit alleged an amount in controversy of more than $75,000, and that jurisdiction and venue was proper over minor MHS students because of coerced agreement to the contract of adhesion paragraph set forth in % 11 above. iParadigms subsequently dismissed the bad Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 6 of 17 faith, frivolous, suit but only immediately after- on information and belief-- an inquiry by a reporter from the Washington Post,. 13. Desert Vista High School, a public high school which E. N. and M. N. attend, also has just this school year required students to submit their unpublished manuscripts to Turnitin.com, or get a zero on any related class assignment, or be ineligible for literary contests. iParadigms has been advised to purge E. N.'s and M. N.'s manuscripts from its system, but has not done so. 14. A. V., a minor, is the author and owner of Copyright Registration TXu 1-326- 961, a copy of which is provided as Exhibit A hereto. [A. V.'s name, address, and other identifying data, are redacted from Exhibit A in order to comply with Civil Local Rule 7.] A. V. has at all times been owner of the registration of Exhibit A. The registration of Exhibit A covers an unpublished [at the effective date of registration] manuscript entitled "Scenes of Realism". The effective date of the registration of Exhibit A is prior to the first, coerced, submission by A. V. of the unpublished manuscript covered by Exhibit A to the Turnitin system. A. V. submitted the unpublished manuscript of Exhibit A to the Turnitin system only as a result of duress and coercion, so that the submission was made without A. V.'s free will. 15. K. W., a minor, is the author and owner of Copyright Registrations TX 6- 495-427 and TXu 1-332-313, a copy of each of which is provided as Exhibits B & C hereto, respectively. [K. W.'s name, address, and other identifying information are redacted from Exhibits B & C in order to comply with Civil Local Rule 7.] K. W. has at all times been owner of the registrations of Exhibits B & C. The manuscript of Exhibit B is entitled "DBQ1: Ancient Greek Contributions" and was unpublished when submitted Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 7 of 17 to the Tumitin system on January 3,2007 with the specific instruction that the manuscript not be archived, as so indicated on the submittal. The submission to the Tumitin system was coerced, and made without K. W.'s free will. The registration of Exhibit C covers an unpublished [at the effective date of the registration] manuscript entitled "What Lies Beyond The Horizon". The effective date of the registration of Exhibit C is prior to the submission by K. W. of the unpublished manuscript covered by Exhibit C to the Tumitin system. K. W. submitted the unpublished manuscript of Exhibit C to the Tumitin system with the specific instruction that the manuscript not be archived, as so indicated on the submittal, yet it has been archived. 16. E. N., a minor, is the author and owner of Copyright Registration TXu 1-332312, a copy of which is provided as Exhibit D hereto. [E. N.'s name, address, and other identifying information are redacted from Exhibit D in order to comply with Civil Local Rule 7.] E. N. has at all times been owner of the registration of Exhibit D. The registration of Exhibit D covers an unpublished [at the effective date of registration] manuscript entitled "Under A Pear Tree". The effective date of the registration of Exhibit D is prior to the first, coerced, submission by E. N. of the unpublished manuscript covered by Exhibit D to the Tumitin system. E. N. submitted the unpublished manuscript of Exhibit D to the Tumitin system only as a result of duress and coercion, so that the submission was made without E. N.'s free will. 17. M. N., a minor, is the author and owner of Copyright Registrations TXu 1 326-962, and TXu 1-326-960, a copy of each of which is provided as Exhibits E & F, respectively, hereto. [M. N.'s name, address, and other identifying information are redacted from Exhibits E & F in order to comply with Civil Local Rule 7.] M. N. has at Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 8 of 17 all times been owner of the registrations of Exhibit E & F. The registration of Exhibit E covers an unpublished [at the effective date of registration] manuscript entitled "Golden Heart", and the registration of exhibit F covers an unpublished [at the effective date of registration] manuscript entitled "Day is Weary". The effective dates of the registrations of Exhibit E and F are prior to the first, coerced, submission by M. N. of the unpublished manuscripts covered by Exhibit E & F to the Turnitin system. M. N. submitted the unpublished manuscript of Exhibits E & F to the Turnitin system only as a result of duress and coercion, so that the submissions were made without M. N.'s free will. 18. The minor plaintiffs have all voided the contract of adhesion mentioned in % 11 above, including the paragraph of the contract of adhesion quoted. Claim for Relief 19. Plaintiffs incorporate all the allegations of paragraphs 1-18 inclusive. 20. Plaintiffs have complied in all respects with 17 U. S. C. §§101 etseq, and have, as owners of the registrations, the exclusive rights and privileges accorded by the registrations of Exhibits A-F, including the right to be free of infringement. 21. iParadigms' conduct is copyright infringement under 17 U. S. C. §501 since it violates the exclusive rights accorded to plaintiffs by the Copyright Laws of the United States, including plaintiff's rights under 17 U. S. C. §106. 22. iParadigms' infringement of plaintiffs' rights was committed willfully as indicated by iParadigms' own legal opinion posted on its website, its failure to substantively respond to the detailed allegations of unexcused copyright infringement in the letter of November 15, 2006, its placement of its own copyright notice on receipts which include the works of students submitting to the Turnitin system, and its filing of a Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 9 of 17 bad faith, frivolous, lawsuit against MHS students. The willfulness of iParadigms' infringement is further apparent since its actions are the quintessence of hypocrisy, essentially stealing students' unpublished manuscripts while alleging protecting against intellectual theft. 23. Plaintiffs are entitled to statutory damages of $30,000 under 17 U. S. C. §504(c)(l) for each infringed registration. In view of the willfulness of the infringement, the plaintiffs are entitled to enhanced statutory damages in the amount of $150,000 for each registration, under 17 U. S. C. §504(c)(2). 24. Plaintiffs also have been, and will continue to be in the future, irreparably injured since the disposition of the plaintiffs' own property will be out of their control unless this Court intervenes. Therefore plaintiffs are also entitled to injunctive relief under 17 U.S. C. §502. 25. Since jurisdiction and venue properly lie in this court, and the law of Virginia applies to all aspects of this case [including voidability of a contract by a minor, duress, and how a minor is treatedj not exclusively directed to copyright law, under the terms of the contract of adhesion set forth in ^[11 above, the use of the Turnitin system is unauthorized in this judicial district and the contract between the Fairfax County Public School System (and any other client in this judicial district) and iParadigms is void because the only possible use is unauthorized. 26. Since the relationship between iParadigms and the students who are coerced into submitting, without compensation, unpublished manuscripts to iParadigms is a violation of the prohibition against involuntary servitude of the 13th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution, all archiving of student unpublished manuscripts without the permission Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 10 of 17 of the students is illegal under the 13th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution. Unlike the high school community service requirement and military draft cases, this is not a situation where public or charitable entities, or the public at large, benefit from the students' involuntary servitude; rather the only benefit that accrues is to the for-profit defendant. Prayer for Relief THEREFORE, plaintiffs pray for judgment in their favor and against defendant iParadigms as follows: A. An injunction prohibiting iParadigms from infringing any existing or hereafter secured copyright of any of the plaintiffs, including - without limitation - archiving or distributing in any way any unpublished manuscript authored by any of the plaintiffs that is submitted to the Turnitin system at any time in the past or future; B. An injunction prohibiting iParadigms from violating the 13th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution by archiving or distributing in any way any unpublished manuscript authored by any student that is submitted to the Turnitin system unless iParadigms has the specific consent of the student; C. A statutory damage award from iParadigms to the plaintiffs of $150,000 for the infringement of each Copyright Registration; D. An injunction declaring the use of the Turnitin system in the Eastern District of Virginia unauthorized, and therefore any contract of iParadigms with a client in the Eastern District of Virginia void; E. An award from iParadigms to the plaintiffs of their full costs of suit, including a reasonable attorney's fee as provided by 17 U. S. C. §505; and F. Such other and further relief that this Court determines just and proper. 10 Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 11 of 17 Jury Demand Plaintiffs demand, pursuant to the 7th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution, a jury trial on all issues - including, without limitation, statutory damages - triable by right to a jury. A. V., a minor, by his next friend Robert Vanderhye K. W., a minor, by his next friend Kevin Wade, Sr. E. N., a minor, by her next friend Scott Nelson M. N., a minor, by her next friend Scott Nelson By their attorney Robert A. Vanderhye VA Bar #13523 801 Ridge Dr. y^ March 19.2007 Date McLean, VA 22101-1625 703-442-0422 (phone) 703-790-1070 (fax) 11 Certificate of Registration Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 12 of 17 This Certificate issued under the sea! of the Copyright Office in accordance with title 17, United States Code, attests that registration has been made for the work G Short Form TX Exhibit For «Nondr«m«tk litcmry Work UNITID tTATfl COFVIIGHT OMKI identified below. The information on this certificate has been made a part of the Copyright Office records. TXU1 -326-961 TX TXU Effective Data of Registration Registerof Copyrights, United States of America Klon Received^. ned By DaposiLfleceived Correspondence TYPE Ofl PRINT IN BLACK INK. DO NOT WRITE ABOVE THIS UNE Fee Received 8 vrfMb* raQfPO t Deposit account W_ Robert A. Vanderhye NunliM/Stiaal/AplY 8S_ W Name milted In window tmtfepato 801 Ridge Drive CKy/St«e/ZlpY UtlsiddrMa: McLean, VA 22101-1625 DO HOT WHIR HOW twippNcatkn. tshal ba thud no« nwni than S2.S0a M7 UK{ S06(a): Any ponon wM kna«<ni^ nuritaa late repnuanWIin of a mitaM ^ Certificate of Registration Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 13 of 17 EXHIBIT B Short Form TX mn entct This Certificate issued under the seal of the Copyright Office in accordance with tide 17, United States Code, attests that registration has been made for the work identified below. The information on this certificate has been made a part of the Copyright Office records. TX 6-495-427 RegisterMf Copyrights, United States of America TYPE OR PRWT M BLACK MC DO HOT WRITE ABOVE THB UNE. Title of This Work: 1 DBQ1: Ancient Greek Contributions Alternative title or title of laiger wodt in which this work was published: Name and Address of Author and Owner of the Copyright Nationality or domicile: 2 Phone, tax. and email: If work has been published. Date and Nation of Publication: January Month b. Nation USA D»jr Year year aD required) Type of Authorship inThisWoric Check all (hat this author created. 5 Photographs Compilation of terms or data illustrations Text (includes fiction, nonfictkm, poetry, computer programs, etc) r Signature: Registration cannot be completed without a comet to the bat efmy bmoUige.' Check one Name and Address of Person to Contact for Rights and Pennissions: Ptan^ bx, and email: O Check here if same a» #2 above. Robert A. Vanderirye, 801 Ridge Drn McLean, VA 22101 Phone(703 J442-0422 Fax (703 ) 790-1070 EmaarBvar@nixonvan.com ucpoort sooount #_ McLean, VA 22101-1625 Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 14 of 17 Exhibit C Certificate of Registration This Certificate issued under the seal of the Copyright Office in accordance with title 17, United States Code, attests that registration has been made for the work Short Form TX UCKTBMMirHINMlUt TllimjVi'rirt identified below. The infonnation on this certificate has been made a part of the Copyright Office records. TXu1 -332-313 ERoctSw Dated RagMtton Register^ Copyrights, United States of America Application Raoanwt EzmansdBy IL JAN 1 6 2007 ' Two TYPE OR PftfNT IN BLACK WK DO NOT WRITE ABOVE THIS UKE Title of This Work 1 What Lies Beyond the Horizon Alternative title or title of larger work in which this work was published Name and Address of Author and Owner of the Copynght Nationality or domicile Phone fax and email Year of Creation 2006 a Date If work has been published. Date and Nation of Publication Type of Authorship Month b Nation Day Year [Month day aid year all required) in This Work Qwck all that this author created H Text (includes fiction nonncnan poetry, computer programs etc) El Illustrations G Photographs Q Compilation of terms or data IartfyUmtthestatancntsm^bymemthti Author Q ttTeaintatotUbcstcfmifkmjwlaige Check one Signature Registration cannot be completed without a signature Name and Address of Q Check here if same as-#2 above Robert A Vanderhye Robert A Vandertrve 801 RideeDr McLean VA 22101 Phone (703 Person to Contact for Rights and Permissions Phone fax and envoi Email f~e%\j&J ) 442 0422 Fax (703 ) 790 1070 CMtUkaM ·Mb* tin 8 NK»T Robert A Vanderhye 801 Ridge Dr i Deposit account #_ McLean VA 22101 1625 Certificate of Registration Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Short FormTX ^ Page 15 of 17 Exhibit D identified below. The information on this certificate has been made a part of the Copyright Office records. attests that registration has been made for the work This Certificate issued under the seal of the Copyright Office in accordance with tide 17, United States Code, umwa »i>m coetiicmt ottttt -332-312 RegjstenSf Copyrights, United States of America Oopoort ill!/ TWEORPRnMT IN BLACK WK 00 NOT WRITEABOVE TW8UNE ' -- HM cbnoopondanoa c Q TiUe of This Work Under a Pear Tree work was published larger woric m which this Altenubve title or title of Name and Address of Author and Owner of the Copyright Nationality or domicile Phone fax and email Year of Creation If work has been published, Date and Nation of Publication Type of Authorship in This Work a Date 2007 Month b Nation Day Year (Month day and year oil mpuraf) Q niustrahons Q Photographs Q Text (includes ficbon nonhcnon poetry computer programs etc) o«-{cf5t5:&r data Signature completed without a signs hue Registration cannot be I certify Out Ou statements mode by mem Ota apphcatmrt Author rcttothebestofmyknowUdgc Check one U Person to Contacrior 5] Phone fax and email Name and Address of Q Check here if same a»*2 aboveRobert A Vanderhye 801 RidgcDr McLean VA 22101 Phone(703 )442 0422 Email ravanSnixonvan com Fax (703 ) 790 1070 Rights and Permissions Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Certificate of Registration Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 16 of 17 Short FormIX Exhibit E i <·* .1 Ntniiir,tiiiuiK littrarr wodL tiGISTktfiON NUMSfit This Certificate issued under the seal of the Copyright Office in accordance with title \y, United States Code, attests that registration has been made for the work TXui-326-962 identified below. The information on this certificate has been made a part of the Copyright Office records. Registerdf Copyrights, United States of America TiPEORHBNT W BLACK MC DO NOT WMTE AMVETHB UNE. Titte of This Work: Golden Heart tlncooD pubfiahed: Name and Address of Author and Owner of the Copyright: Nationality or domicile: Year of Creation: If.wonituu Mm jwcMuiuav Date and Nation of 3 2007 ·.Date. Month b. Nation 4 Day Ymr ymdlmptirtd) Type of Anthonblp inThifl Woxlc 5 UTbct (indudes fiction, ramfictian, poetry, computer programs, etc) Q Illustrations Q Photographs Q Compilation'of tenns or data Suoiatovcs Name and AddicM of s| Penon to Contact for IHghht amA Iiionc# dd^ and ciruril: 7 Q Chscfc hen if sane n tZ above. Robert A Vtndehye, 801 Ridge Dr., McLean, VA 22101 FW( 703 Email iBV ^ytt^ ) 4424422 Fax ( 703 ) 790-1070 Deposttacoount*. Robert A Vtndcrfayo ·j Name 801 Ridge Drive McLean, VA 22101-1625 1aiafio II A id. Certificate of Registration Case 1:07-cv-00293-CMH-BRP Document 1 Filed 03/27/2007 Page 17 of 17 Short Form TX REGISTRATION uiiuscb Exhibit F For a Nondrenutic Literary Y/otk This Certificate issued under the seal of the Copyright Office in accordance with title 17, United States Code, attests that registration has been made for the work UNITED STATiS (OPVtIGHT OFMCf identified below. The information on this certificate has been made a part of the Copyright Office records. *·' TXu 1-326-960 TX Effective Date of Registration TXU L RegisterW Copyrights, United States of America Examined By Two Cofrespondertce Fee Received TYPE OR PRINT IN BLACK INK. DO NOT WRITE ABOVE THIS UNE. Q Nams T will be malted in window mvatopeto thliaddrew: Cortfflcato Robert A. Vanderhye Kumtar/Strael/Api T om Deposit account #_ Name 801 Ridge Dr. Cdy/Stata/Zip V 5i McLean, VA 22101-1625 ?! 00 MOr WRITE HERE Pijalo/ tfgas

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