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In Episode 180 of Entertainment Law Update, we cover major legal developments including the rare recusal of five Supreme Court justices, leaving a lower court win in the Ta-Nehisi Coates copyright case intact; the Isaac Hayes estate’s lawsuit against Donald Trump moving forward on copyright grounds while endorsement claims are dismissed; and several notable photography copyright rulings revisiting the discovery rule, access via Instagram, and a fair use misjudgment reversed by the Second Circuit. The Sam Smith and Normani hit “Dancing With A Stranger” heads to trial as a jury must decide substantial similarity. Scholars reject association with the controversial ALI Restatement of Copyright, while new federal law takes aim at revenge porn and explicit deepfakes. In the AI Corner, judges question fair use in Meta’s AI case, the Copyright Office releases its prepublication Part III report on generative AI training and market dilution, the Register of Copyrights is controversially fired by the White House, and the UK House of Lords again rejects its proposed AI copyright bill following pushback from artists.
Five Justice Recusal Leaves Lower Court Ruling Standing https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/five-supreme-court-justices-sit-out-case-in-rare-move/ar-AA1F8OvZ?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=2c27aaa63bdc4f999dc9b762e96729ed&ei=8
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/five-justices-sit-out-as-court-affirms-ta-nehisi-coates-case-win
Isaac Hayes Estate Lawsuit Against Trump to continue, but only on copyright claims. Court dismisses others. https://completemusicupdate.com/the-isaac-hayes-estates-copyright-lawsuit-against-trump-can-proceed-but-judge-axes-false-endorsement-claims/?ref=cmu-daily-newsletter
Isaac Hayes Enterprises, LLC v. Trump , No. 1:2024cv03639 – Document 135 (N.D. Ga. 2025)
3 Quick Photo Copyright Cases to note Discovery Rule in Copyright Cases Revisited Again in Photographer’s case against fashion designer https://petapixel.com/2025/04/30/photographers-lawsuit-could-redefine-when-creators-can-sue-for-copyright-infringement
https://patentlyo.com/patent/2025/05/goldilocks-copyrights-limitations.html
RADesign, Inc. v. Michael Grecco Productions, Inc . (No. 24-768)
WOODLAND V. HILL – Photographer’ fails to allege sufficient access on basis of posting on Instagram https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca9/23-55418/23-55418-2025-05-16.html?utm_source=summary-newsletters&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2025-05-17-u-s-court-of-appeals-for-the-ninth-circuit-92c75616b7&utm_content=text-case-title-2#
Trial Court “misunderstood” Fair Use Case; 2nd Cir. says in reversing denial of default Judgment https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca2/23-828/23-828-2025-05-23.html?utm_source=summary-newsletters&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2025-05-24-u-s-court-of-appeals-for-the-second-circuit-d671c6649a&utm_content=text-case-title-2
Dancing With A Stranger Case revived – jury should decide substantial similarit y. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/sam-smith-normani-dancing-with-a-stranger-lawsuit-revived-1235329452
https://www.billboard.com/pro/sam-smith-dancing-stranger-lawsuit-revived-appeals-court/?utm_medium=&utm_source=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&utm_id=
Sound and Color LLC v. Smith, No. 23-2680 (9th Cir. 2025)
Scholars Want Names off Restatement Publication https://illusionofmore.com/leading-scholars-insist-their-names-be-removed-from-the-ali-restatement-of-copyright-law/
https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/copyright-controversy-erupts-prominent-scholars-urge-veto-ali-restatement-2021-06-08
Revenge Porn Act Signed into Law https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-signs-take-it-down-act-revenge-porn-bill-melania-trump
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-to-know-about-the-new-federal-law-against-revenge-porn-and-explicit-deepfakes
AI Corner “I just don’t understand how that can be fair use”, says judge in Meta AI trial https://completemusicupdate.com/i-just-dont-understand-how-that-can-be-fair-use-says-judge-in-meta-ai-trial/ https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/judge-meta-case-weighs-key-question-ai-copyright-lawsuits-2025-05-01/ Kadrey et al. v. Meta Platforms, Inc. , Northern District of California.
Copyright Office Report (prepublication) Part III – Generative AI Training https://www.copyright.gov/ai
https://chatgptiseatingtheworld.com/2025/05/10/us-copyright-issues-pre-publication-version-of-3rd-report-on-ai-training-and-fair-use-ai-training-is-transformative-but-degree-depends-on-how-ai-functions-supports-new-market-dilution-theory-of-ha/
https://copyrightlately.com/copyright-office-ai-report/
https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/12/us_copyright_office_ai_copyright
Report (prepublication) https://www.copyright.gov/ai/Copyright-and-Artificial-Intelligence-Part-3-Generative-AI-Training-Report-Pre-Publication-Version.pdf
White House fires Register? of Copyrights – raises questions of Executive Branch Authority, Timing (report, etc.) https://kipcurriercopyright.blogspot.com/2025/05/trump-fires-copyright-office-director.html
https://diginomica.com/ai-and-copyright-us-copyright-office-backs-creativesand-trump-fires-its-head
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/ex-copyright-office-head-perlmutter-sues-trump-to-block-firing?s=09 (Suit has happened now)
https://www.jurist.org/news/2025/05/fired-us-copyright-office-director-sues-trump-administration-for-unconstitutional-removal
House of Lords Peppered by Artists RE AI Plans https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/may/10/paul-mccartney-and-dua-lipa-among-artists-urging-starmer-to-rethink-ai-copyright-plans
https://fortune.com/europe/2025/05/13/british-government-under-fire-artists-dua-lipa-paul-mccartney-harry-potter-ai-copyright-exception
New updates May 20: House of Lords rejects UK AI Copyright bill:
https://dig.watch/updates/lords-reject-uk-ai-copyright-bill-again
https://www.globallegalpost.com/news/house-of-lords-demands-more-protection-for-copyright-holders-against-ai-2095109513