Righthaven Stories

Since March 2010, Righthaven has teamed with the Las Vegas Review-Journal and the Denver Post to file a whopping 275 federal lawsuits alleging copyright infringement and seeking damages of $150,000 apiece.

These lawsuits are filed in retroactive fashion, meaning if someone posted a Review-Journal story without authorization in December, Righthaven spotted the infringement in January, obtained the copyright to the story in February and sued the unsuspecting defendant in March.

The suits say Righthaven has the right to collect damages for infringements, be they in the past, the present or the future. Internet sites, bloggers and message board posters throughout North America and in Europe are accused in the suits of posting, without authorization, on their websites partial or entire stories from those newspapers, as well as editorials, columns, graphics and photos.

Archive highlights

Righthaven: The controversy over copyrights

Mon, Jul 25, 2011

The time has come to add copyright lawsuits—alongside casinos—as one of the things Las Vegas is best known for nationally. Copyright lawsuits? Yes, in national legal and media circles, Las ...

Judge: Righthaven masquerading as a company

Thu, Jul 14, 2011

A judge today fined newspaper copyright lawsuit filer Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas $5,000 for misleading Nevada’s federal court about its lawsuits.

Righthaven hurts news industry, one ruling at a time

Sun, Jun 26, 2011

Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist and former Publisher Sherman Frederick’s column today involving his “little friend” Righthaven could be Exhibit A in the case against Righthaven’s litigation strategy.

Legal attack dog sicked on websites accused of violating R-J copyrights

Wed, Aug 4, 2010

When it comes to fighting copyright theft in the news industry — the piracy of stories, editorials, columns, photos and videos — there are watchdogs and there are attack dogs.

All stories

Foes urge court not to give Righthaven a break

Fri, May 18, 2012

Attorneys for one of the Righthaven copyright infringement lawsuit defendants are urging an appeals court not to give Righthaven a procedural break, saying it should face the consequences of its ...

Righthaven copyrights fail to sell at auction

Mon, May 7, 2012

Creditors of Las Vegas copyright lawsuit filer Righthaven LLC are licking their wounds after no one bid for Righthaven copyrights in an eBay auction that ended Saturday.

Prices slashed on Righthaven copyrights up for auction

Thu, May 3, 2012

Certain copyrights seized from Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas are being offered at auction for a minimum bid of $50 apiece — a 50 percent discount.

Scant interest so far in auction of Righthaven copyrights

Wed, May 2, 2012

With buyers not exactly beating down the door for Righthaven LLC’s trademark and certain copyrights, an auction for those items was extended Wednesday.

Righthaven copyright, trademark auction begins Monday

Sat, Apr 28, 2012

The second auction of Righthaven LLC assets, including its trademark and a copyright for a Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial, is scheduled to begin Monday morning on eBay.

Nonprofit seeks donations to cover Righthaven copyright lawsuit costs

Thu, Apr 26, 2012

A Virginia nonprofit is asking for donations to cover the $30,000 it spent successfully fighting a Righthaven LLC copyright infringement lawsuit. The Virginia Citizens Defense League Inc. (VCDL), a gun ...

Righthaven hit with second marshals writ for seizure of assets

Mon, Apr 16, 2012

Las Vegas copyright lawsuit filer Righthaven LLC may be broke, but that’s not stopping defense attorneys from trying to seize any assets it may have.

Fourth Righthaven copyright lawsuit appeal dismissed

Thu, Apr 12, 2012

Copyright lawsuit filer Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas saw another one of its appeals dismissed Wednesday after Righthaven apparently abandoned the case.

Review-Journal owner facing $774,000 fee demand in Righthaven case

Wed, Apr 11, 2012

Attorneys say the owner of the Las Vegas Review-Journal should be required to pay $774,683 in legal fees for what critics call a failed ''shakedown'' copyright infringement lawsuit that threatened ...

Seven more Righthaven suits tossed out

Mon, Apr 2, 2012

Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas suffered yet another setback Friday when a federal judge dismissed seven more of its newspaper copyright infringement lawsuits.

Defendant's attorneys hit back at Righthaven CEO

Thu, Mar 29, 2012

Attorneys fighting copyright company Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas on Thursday asked a federal judge to reject claims by its CEO that he's unable to bring the company into compliance ...

In fighting sanction, Righthaven CEO complains of foes' 'ambush tactics'

Tue, Mar 27, 2012

The CEO of copyright lawsuit filer Righthaven LLC is complaining that he's the victim of ''unconscionable'' ambush tactics by opposing attorneys in one of several lawsuits filed by the company.

Hard-fought copyright case closed against Righthaven

Sat, Mar 24, 2012

In what an attorney calls another ''nail in the coffin'' of Righthaven LLC, a Las Vegas judge has closed another of the copyright company’s noteworthy lawsuits.

Top copyright litigator withdraws from Righthaven cases

Wed, Mar 21, 2012

Dale Cendali, one of the top U.S. copyright attorneys, made it clear Wednesday that she’s no longer representing struggling copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas.

Five Righthaven lawsuits dismissed in Denver

Wed, Mar 21, 2012

Copyright infringement lawsuit filer Righthaven LLC’s legal setbacks continued Tuesday with a federal judge in Denver dismissing five more of its lawsuits.

Creditor seeks $500-a-day fine against Righthaven

Tue, Mar 20, 2012

Copyright lawsuit filer Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas and its CEO may soon face a fine of $500 per day for every day that Righthaven fails to comply with a ...

Righthaven sports-betting lawsuit thrown out

Fri, Mar 16, 2012

A copyright infringement lawsuit over sports-betting content involving Righthaven LLC was thrown out of court Friday by a Nevada federal judge.

Two more Righthaven appeals dismissed

Thu, Mar 15, 2012

The step-by-step demise of Righthaven LLC continued Thursday when two of its own appeals were dismissed because of Righthaven’s failure to prosecute them.

Digital freedom group gains another victory over R-J, Righthaven

Sun, Mar 11, 2012

Digital freedom group the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has won another victory against the Las Vegas Review-Journal and its copyright enforcement partner.

Judge threatens to dismiss 7 more Righthaven lawsuits

Thu, Mar 8, 2012

The gradual demise of copyright lawsuit filer Righthaven LLC continued Thursday, with a judge in Las Vegas threatening to dismiss seven more of its lawsuits. Las Vegas-based Righthaven tried to ...

Videos

Dead in the Water?
Dead in the Water?
A federal judge has called Righthaven's tactics in suing to protect online content not just ...

More Information

What is a copyright?

According to the US Copyright Office, copyright is a form of intellectual property law that protects original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic and musical works, and artistic works such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software and architecture. Such protection encourages creativity.

Under the fair use doctrine of the US copyright statute, it is permissible to use limited portions of a work, including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, news reporting and scholarly reports. What is fair use is decided on a case-by-case basis, with judges often relying on evolving case law.

Righthaven’s numbers as of July 15

• Of Righthaven’s 276 lawsuits, all but one involved material from the Las Vegas Review-Journal and the Denver Post. One suit was filed over sports betting material that didn’t involve a newspaper.

• Righthaven’s lawsuits were filed in Las Vegas, Denver and Charleston, SC.

213 Righthaven lawsuits involve Las Vegas Review-Journal material. After settlements and dismissals, 79 were active.

62 involved Denver Post material and 34 were active.

What others are saying about Righthaven

"Plaintiff’s litigation strategy has a chilling effect on potential fair uses of Righthaven-owned articles, diminishes public access to the facts contained therein and does nothing to advance the Copyright Act’s purpose of promoting artistic creation.”— U.S. District Judge James Mahan in Las Vegas

"The purpose of the courts is to provide a forum for the orderly, just, and timely resolution of controversies and disputes. Plaintiff’s (Righthaven’s) wishes to the contrary, the courts are not merely tools for encouraging and exacting settlements from defendants cowed by the potential costs of litigation and liability.’’ — U.S. District Judge John Kane in Denver

"Righthaven and Stephens Media have attempted to create a cottage industry of filing copyright claims, making large claims for damages and then settling claims for pennies on the dollar, with defendants who do not want to incur the costs of defending the lawsuits, (and) are now offended when someone has turned the tables on them and insisting on a judgment in their favor rather than a simple dismissal of the lawsuit.” — U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt in Las Vegas

"I’m asking you nicely once again—don’t steal our content. Or, I promise you, you will meet my little friend called Righthaven.” — Sherman Frederick, at the time publisher of the Las Vegas Review-Journal

"Where the law has created a legal way to extort money from hapless netizens, Righthaven has stepped in for some quick cash. They’re not evil geniuses. They’re not right-wing extremists. They’re not left-wing zealots. The truth is much worse. They’re just jerks.” — Eric Johnson, associate professor of law at the University of North Dakota

"We were surprised to witness such behavior here, in the United States, while this is generally a phenomenon Reporters Without Borders witnesses in authoritarian regimes to silence netizens and intimidate journalists, bloggers and others. Therefore, we ask you to drop the lawsuit against him and find a reasonable compromise regarding his case.”— International press freedom group Reporters Without Borders, in a letter to the Denver Post regarding a Righthaven lawsuit against young autistic blogger Brian Hill and Righthaven’s $6,000 settlement demand along with its threat to garnish his Social Security Disability Insurance income at the rate of $50 per month for 10 years.

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