“Killer Joe” is a 2011 “Southern Gothic” black comedy film starring Matthew McConaughey in a murder-for-insurance-money plot. It also enjoyed a ratings controversy as it garnered an NC-17 rating for bloody, sadistic violence. The owners of the film are now trying their hand with a substantial batch of Bittorrent suits in Ohio.

The Complaint lists Killer Joe Nevada LLC as the “RIGHTSHOLDER”, but other sources show that veteran Bittorrent copyright lawsuit troll Voltage Pictures, LLC–of “Hurt Locker” fame and “The Expendables” infamy was involved in the production, and this may explain the copyright litigation connection.

The Complaint I was provided was filed by Columbus, Ohio attorney Yousef M. Faroniya. Watch out for ISP letters to issue from Cox, Frontier and others over the next few months.
Continue Reading Killer Joe Torrent Suits: Going "Southern Gothic" In Ohio

We just learned that Judge Robert S. Lasnik, who is managing all of Richard Symmes’ dozens of Bittorrent copyright actions filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, has on his own initiative entered several orders quashing pending subpoenas, imposing a stay, and ordering the plaintiffs in these cases to “show…

Veteran porno-troll Malibu Media, LLC has filed a batch of single-“Doe” Bittorrent copyright infringement actions in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.

Some readers might remember Malibu Media as the target of a 2012 class-action lawsuit, along with other pornographers that were part of the Miami-based Lipscomb Eisenberg law firm stable.

The new singleton Doe actions each focus on a specific ISP service subscriber identified by his or her IP address. As this sample Complaint filed by attorney Mary K. Schultz, Esq. shows, the “works” in the suit are apparently short-form porn videos with relatively innocuous titles (at least by this industry’s standards) such as “Morning Desires,” “Foot Fetish,” “Slow Motion,” “Late for Work,” and “Teenage Dream.”

In an unusual turn, the Complaint also attaches an “Exculpatory Evidence Request” seeking a host of information about the subscriber and users of the relevant IP address or ISP account. The Complaint explains this Request as follows:

As the subscriber in control of the IP address being used to distribute Plaintiff’s copyrighted movies, Defendant is the most likely infringer. Consequently, Plaintiff hereby alleges Defendant is the infringer. Plaintiff has included as Exhibit D a solicitation of exculpatory evidence in the event that Defendant chooses to deny the allegations.

This is apparently intended to assure the court that Malibu Media will make some attempt to identify the actual infringer if the ISP subscriber personally denies infringement as alleged.
Continue Reading Malibu Media pursuing Singleton Doe Actions In Wisconsin and Michigan

reFX Software, Inc., the Canadian maker of professional-grade music mixing software plug-ins, has filed at least two mass Bittorrent lawsuits in federal courts in Illinois and Missouri.

reFX makes plug-ins for ROM sampler or “Rompler” software engines commonly used by electronic and dance music-makers to synthesize tracks. The Complaint includes an explanation for these products…

The past few months have seen a major uptick in Bittorrent copyright lawsuit filings in the District Courts of Washington and Oregon. The filing attorneys are relative newcomers and are apparently hoping to avoid some of the past problems experienced by Prenda Law attorneys and others whom have been scolded for imprecise and sloppy investigations and other procedural irregularities. These new filers are reportedly focusing on geo-location technologies and more robust online investigations to support appropriate jurisdiction and venue.
Continue Reading Wave of Torrent Litigation Crashes on the Pacific Northwest

Some readers may have heard about a recent putative class action lawsuit filed by a Louisville, Kentucky resident against several porn studios for their now-familiar subpoena, threat and litigation tactics.  The lawsuit, which is described and linked in full within this article by David Kravets of Wired, makes claims for violations of the federal RICO…

Subpoenas are being issued out of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana in the case of 4:Twenty Media, Inc. v. Swarm Sharing Hash Files [very long alphanumeric]; and Does 1-1,341, Case No. 6:12-cv-00031.

This case was filed by Joseph C. Peiffer of New Orleans firm Fishman Haygood Phelps Walmsey Willis and…

Reports indicate that major ISPs, including Time Warner Cable, are delivering notices to customers in response to subpoenas issued by Camelot Distribution Group, Inc. Camelot is pursuing the Does over the alleged infringed of the copyrights to “Wreckage,” a 2010 horror/drag racing film featuring Aaron Paul of the celebrated AMC series “Breaking Bad.”

The subpoeanas…