LOS ANGELES — A garment manufacturer has filed suit against retailers for allegedly infringing upon its copyrighted apparel design.
United Fabrics International Inc. filed a complaint on Aug. 4 in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against Cato Stores Inc. and Does 1-10, alleging that they knowingly violated the the rights of the plaintiff under the Copyright Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that United Fabrics International Inc. discovered that the defendants had infringed on its copyrighted design tagged as Christy. The design purportedly was manufactured, distributed and sold by the defendants without consent from the plaintiff. Because the design reportedly is substantially similar to the subject design, the defendants thereon caused damages to the plaintiff's business. The plaintiff holds Cato Stores Inc. and Does 1-10 responsible because the defendants allegedly gained profit from infringing the plaintiff's original work and committed copyright infringement with actual knowledge of plaintiff’s rights.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks to enjoin the defendants and agents from further infringement, be awarded all profits and losses, attorneys’ fees, interest, costs of suit and other relief as the court deems appropriate. It is represented by Stephen M. Doniger, Scott A. Burroughs and Trevor W. Barrett of Doniger / Burroughs in Venice.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California case number 16-cv-05820