Waite et al v. UMG Recordings, Inc. et al, No. 1:2019cv01091 - Document 89 (S.D.N.Y. 2020)

Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION re: 73 MOTION for Leave to File Second Amended Complaint . filed by Leonard Graves Phillips, Stan Sobol, Israel Caballero, Susan Straw Harris, Joe Ely, John Waite, Kasim Sulton. Plaintiffs' motion for l eave to file a second amended complaint [DI 73] is granted to the extent that plaintiffs may amend to: (1) assert allegations to which there have been no objection, (2) add Steven Wynn, Dennis Mehaffey, and David Pellish as named plaintiffs, (2) add Capitol as a defendant, (3) add allegations concerning sound recordings made pursuant to Ely's 1976agreement that are alleged to have been created on or after January 1, 1978, and (4) the proposed claim for declaratory relief. Plaintiffs shall file a second amended complaint conforming to this ruling no later than August 31, 2020. SO ORDERED. (Amended Pleadings due by 8/31/2020.) (Signed by Judge Lewis A. Kaplan on 8/10/2020) (jca)

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Waite et al v. UMG Recordings, Inc. et al Doc. 89 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 1 of 24 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK ---------------------------------------x JON WAITE, etc., et al., Plaintifs, -against- 19-cv- l 091 (LAK) UMG RECORDINGS, NC., etc., et al., Deendants. ---------------------------------------x MEMOANDUM OPINION Appearances: Ryan E. Cronin Roy W. Arnold David M. Pery Gregory M. Bordo BLANK ROME LLP Evan S. Cohen Maryann R. Marzano COHEN MUSIC LAW Attoneys for Plaintis Stev en M. Bierman Melanie Berdecia Rollin A. Ransom Lisa M. Gilord Lauren De Lilly SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP Richard S. Mandel Thomas Kjellberg COWAN, LIEBOWITZ & LATAN, P.C. Attorneys or Defendant UMG Recordins, Inc. Dockets.Justia.com Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 2 of 24 2 LEWIS A. KAPLAN, District Juge. In the music recording industry, artists commonly sign agreements with record labels in which the artists agree that the companies will own the copyright to sound recordings made pursuant to those agreements. These grants allow the companies to distribute and sell the artists' sound recordings. Section 203 of the Copyright Act of 1976 provides an author a right to terminate such a grant of copyright thirty-ive years ater the grant's execution, or orty years thereater if the grant covers the right ofpublication, if certain conditions are met. 1 As the Court has explained previously, "[t]ermination is not automatic. The earlier grant will remain in efect absent a termination notice . . . . Upon the efective date of termination [listed in the notice], the grant is terminated and the copyright reverts to the author." 2 Plaintiffs allege that defendant has ignored their valid termination notices and has continued to market and sell plaintifs' sound recordings following the effective dates of termination, thereby inringing upon their copyrights. In a prior opinion, amiliarly with which is assumed, the Court granted in part and denied in part deendant's motion to dismiss the First Amended Complaint ("FAC").3 Plaintiffs now move to amend their complaint in order to add additional parties, assert infringement claims with respect to the sound recordings identified previously in the FAC for which the efective dates of termination now have passed, "streamline 17 § U.S.C. 203. 2 Waitev. UMG Recordins, Inc., No. 19-cv-1091(LK), 2020 WL 1530794, at*2(S.D.N.Y. Mar, 31, 2020) (citation omitted). Id. at*10. Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 3 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 4 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 5 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 6 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 7 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 8 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 9 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 10 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 11 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 12 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 13 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 14 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 15 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 16 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 17 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 18 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 19 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 20 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 21 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 22 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 23 of 24 Case 1:19-cv-01091-LAK Document 89 Filed 08/10/20 Page 24 of 24

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