SAN FRANCISCO – A photography studio in Santa Monica alleges a website used its copyrighted photo to promote its business without permission.
Michael Grecco Productions Inc. filed a complaint on Aug. 26 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against John Doe, doing business as Tradingpoststore.com, alleging copyright infringement.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that it owns a photograph that was part of a copyrighted works of plaintiff of model April Hutchings taken in 2009. It alleges that the defendant is publicly displaying the photograph on its website that sells clothes and personal accessories without consent from plaintiff.
The plaintiff holds John Doe, doing business as Tradingpoststore.com, responsible because the defendant allegedly used an infringing work to promote its business, failed to contact plaintiff to secure a license to use the copyrighted work and obtained profit at the expense of plaintiff.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment against defendant, damages, costs and expenses incurred, permanent injunction, interest, attorneys’ fees and further relief as the court may deem just. It is represented by Brandon P. Leahy of Duane Morris LLP in San Francisco.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California Case number 3:16-cv-04939