bluewire media, llc v gloucester county republican committee dismissal copyright

8/12/2019 Bluewire Media, Llc v Gloucester County Republican Committee Dismissal Copyright

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTDISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY

BLUEWI RE MEDI A, LLC ANDSTEVEN ACI TO,

Pl ai nt i f f s,

v.

GLOUCESTER COUNTY REPUBLI CANCOMMI TTEE, GOP VI CTORY 2011,MARK CI MI NO, AND J OHN DOES 1

THROUGH 10,

Def endant s.

Ci vi l No. 13- 3667 ( NLH/ KMW)

OPINION

APPEARANCES :

J ohn A. Al i ce, Esqui r e28 Cooper St r eetWoodbur y, New J er sey 08096

Attorney for Plaintiffs Bluewire Media, LLC and StevenAcito

A. J . Di Mar i no, I I I , Esqui r eEmmet t S. Col l azo57 Eucl i d St r eetSui t e AWoodbur y, New J er sey 08096

Attorney for Defendants Gloucester County RepublicanCommittee, GOP Victory 2011, and Mark Cimino

HILLMAN, District Judge

Thi s mat t er comes bef or e t he Cour t by way of a mot i on [ Doc.

No. 6] t o di smi ss Pl ai nt i f f s compl ai nt pur suant t o Feder al Rul e

of Ci vi l Pr ocedur e 12( b) ( 6) f or f ai l ur e t o st at e a cl ai m upon

whi ch r el i ef can be gr ant ed br ought by Def endant s Gl oucest er

Case 1:13-cv-03667-NLH-KMW Document 11 Filed 03/24/14 Page 1 of 17 PageID: 79


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Count y Republ i can Commi t t ee, GOP Vi ct or y 2011, and Mar k Ci mi no.

Pl ai nt i f f s Bl uewi r e Medi a and St even Aci t o ( col l ect i vel y

Bl uewi r e of Pl ai nt i f f s) oppose Def endant s mot i on. The

Cour t has consi der ed t he par t i es submi ssi ons and deci des t hi s

mat t er pur suant t o Feder al Rul e of Ci vi l Pr ocedur e 78.

For t he r easons expr essed bel ow, Def endant s mot i on t o

di smi ss wi l l be gr ant ed.

I. JURISDICTION

I n t hi s act i on, Pl ai nt i f f s as ser t a cl ai m f or copyr i ght

i nf r i ngement pur suant t o t he Copyr i ght Act of 1976, 17 U. S. C.

101 et seq. , as wel l as a st at e l aw cl ai m f or i nt er f er ence wi t h

pr ospect i ve economi c advant age. The Cour t has j ur i sdi ct i on over

Pl ai nt i f f s f eder al copyr i ght c l ai m pur suant t o 28 U. S. C.

1331, 1338, and may exer ci se suppl ement al j ur i sdi ct i on over

Pl ai nt i f f s st at e l aw cl ai m pur suant t o 28 U. S. C. 1367.

II. BACKGROUND

Pl ai nt i f f Bl uewi r e Medi a LLC i s a l i mi t ed l i abi l i t y

cor por at i on t hat , al ong wi t h Pl ai nt i f f St even Aci t o, devel ops

t el evi s i on, r adi o, pr i nt , i nf or mat i onal and adver t i s i ng pi eces

f or i t s cl i ent s. ( Compl . [ Doc. No. 1] 3- 4. ) Accor di ng t o

t he compl ai nt , Pl ai nt i f f s are wel l r egar ded pr oducer s of t hese

t ypes of wor k. ( I d. 10. ) Pl ai nt i f f s al l ege t hat t hey spend

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subst ant i al amount s of t i me, money, and ef f or t cr eat i ng,

edi t i ng, and di s t r i but i ng t hei r copyr i ght ed pr oducts . ( I d. )

As par t of Bl uewi r e s busi ness , Pl ai nt i f f s cr eat e [ and sel l ]

adver t i si ng, pr omot i onal campai gns and pol i t i cal spot s . . . t o

t hei r c l i ent s f or use i n pr i nt , on t he r adi o, f or t el evi s i on

. . . or [ as a] t ar get ed vi deo. ( I d. 11. ) Pl ai nt i f f s asser t

t hat t hei r busi ness and pr of i t abi l i t y depend[ ] on [ P] l ai nt i f f s

abi l i t y t o cont r ol who may ut i l i ze t hei r wor k pr oduct whi ch i s

cr eat ed expr essl y f or t he use of t hei r c l i ent s . ( I d. )

Pl ai nt i f f s cont end t hat any unaut hor i zed use of t hei r wor k

pr oduct may di l ut e t he i nt egr i t y and val ue of t he wor k pr oduct

or . . . cast t he wor k pr oduct or c l i ent i n a poor l i ght . ( I d. )

At some unspeci f i ed t i me i n 2010, Heat her Si mmons and

Rober t Zi mmer man 1 wer e r unni ng f or t he of f i ce of Freehol der i n

Gl ouces t er Count y New J er sey. Si mmons and Zi mmer man engaged

Pl ai nt i f f s t o cr eat e a pr omot i onal t el evi si on adver t i sement t o

be used i n suppor t of t hei r campai gn ( her ei naf t er , t he 2010 SZ

Adver t i sement ) . ( I d. 12. ) Pl ai nt i f f s compl ai nt al l eges

t hat t he 2010 SZ [ A] dver t i sement was cr eat ed f or t he expr ess

use of t he Si mmons and Zi mmer man campai gn. ( I d. ) Pl ai nt i f f s

r epr esent t hat t hey own t he vi deo f oot age [ and] t he mast er t ape

of t he vi deo f oot age[ , ] whi l e t he Si mmons and Zi mmer man

1 Heat her Si mmons and Rober t Zi mmer man ar e not par t i es t ot hi s act i on.

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campai gn pur chased t he f i ni shed adver t i sement . ( I d. 13. )

Pl ai nt i f f s as ser t t hat [ n] o par t y ot her t han pl ai nt i f f s , . . .

Si mmons and . . . Zi mmer man or t hei r desi gnee has been gr ant ed

per mi ss i on t o use i n any manner t he copyr i ght ed mat er i al cr eat ed

by [ P] l ai nt i f f s f or Si mmons and Zi mmer man. ( I d. 13. )

Pl ai nt i f f s f ur t her r epr esent t hat owner shi p of t he . . .

adver t i sement and vi deo f oot age has not been sol d t o anot her

par t y at any t i me, nor has aut hor i zat i on [ been] gi ven t o

anot her par t y t o use sai d adver t i sement , any component of i t , or

any of t he vi deo f oot age. ( I d. 14. )

Pl ai nt i f f s al l ege t hat i n Oct ober and November of 2011, i n

advance of t he 2011 Gl oucest er Count y Fr eehol der el ect i on, t hei r

wor k pr oduct . . . was used wi t hout per mi ssi on or aut hor i zat i on

i n a pol i t i cal adver t i sement i n suppor t of t he campai gn of

t hr ee di f f er ent candi dat es r unni ng f or Fr eehol der agai nst

Si mmons t hat year candi dat es Capel l i , Her i t age and Pant al eo.

( I d. 15. ) Pl ai nt i f f s asser t t hat t he adver t i sement i n suppor t

of Capel l i , Her i t age and Pant al eo ( her ei naf t er , t he 2011 CHP

Adver t i sement ) used unaut hor i zed . . . f oot age f r om t he 2010 SZ

Adver t i sement i n or der t o cast . . . Si mmons . . . i n a di spar agi ng

l i ght dur i ng t he cour se of t he subsequent 2011 Fr eehol der

campai gn. ( I d. ) Accor di ng t o t he compl ai nt , Pl ai nt i f f s vi ewed

t he mi sappr opr i at ed f oot age numer ous t i mes not onl y when t he

2011 CHP Adver t i sement ai r ed on t el evi si on on t he Comcast Cabl e

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syst em, but al so on YouTube. com and anot her i nt er net websi t e

ent i t l ed NOBI DHEATHER. COM. ( I d. 17. )

Pl ai nt i f f s r epr esent t hat t he 2011 CHP Adver t i sement was

i dent i f i ed as havi ng been cr eat ed and/ or endor sed by [ an ent i t y

cal l ed] GOP Vi ct or y 2011 whi ch appar ent l y shar es t he same

addr ess as Def endant Gl oucest er Count y Republ i can Commi t t ee.

( I d. 16. ) Pl ai nt i f f s subsequent l y cont act ed Comcast t o

det er mi ne what per son or ent i t y pai d f or t he ai r i ng of t he 2011

CHP Adver t i sement cont ai ni ng t he al l egedl y mi sappr opr i at ed

f oot age f r om t he 2010 SZ Adver t i sement . ( I d. 18) . Thr ough

t hi s pr ocess, Pl ai nt i f f s det er mi ned t hat Def endant Mar k Ci mi no

pai d f or t he 2011 CHP Adver t i sement t o ai r . ( I d. ) Pl ai nt i f f s

al l ege t hat t hey sent l et t er s t o Def endant Ci mi no and Def endant

Gl oucest er Count y Republ i can Commi t t ee not i f yi ng Def endant s of

t hi s unaut hor i zed use of [ P] l ai nt i f f s pr oper t y wi t h

i nst r uct i ons t o i mmedi at el y cease and desi st f r om usi ng t he

f oot age. ( I d. 19. )

Pl ai nt i f f s asser t t hat despi t e r ecei pt of t he cease and

desi st l et t er s s ent on November 2, 2011 and November 4, 2011,

r espect i vel y, Def endant s cont i nued t o use Pl ai nt i f f s

copyr i ght ed mat er i al whi ch was s hown r epeat edl y on t he

af or ement i oned si t es[ . ] ( I d. ) I t i s Def endant s unaut hor i zed

use of por t i ons of t he 2010 SZ Adver t i sement as par t of t he 2011

CHP Adver t i sement t hat Pl ai nt i f f s al l ege gi ve r i se t o t hei r

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cl ai m of copyr i ght i nf r i ngement . ( I d. 22) . Pl ai nt i f f s seek

r el i ef i n t he f or m of an i nj unct i on, st at ut or y damages, puni t i ve

damages, and at t or neys f ees.

III. DISCUSSION

Def endant s now move t o di smi ss Pl ai nt i f f s compl ai nt

pur suant t o Feder al Rul e of Ci vi l Pr ocedur e 12( b) ( 6) . I n

consi der i ng a mot i on t o di smi ss a compl ai nt f or f ai l ur e t o st at e

a cl ai m upon whi ch r el i ef can be gr ant ed pur suant t o Rul e

12( b) ( 6) , a cour t must accept al l wel l - pl eaded al l egat i ons i n

t he compl ai nt as t r ue and vi ew t hem i n t he l i ght most f avor abl e

t o t he pl ai nt i f f . Evancho v. Fi sher , 423 F. 3d 347, 350 ( 3d Ci r .

2005) . I t i s wel l s et t l ed t hat a pl eadi ng i s suf f i ci ent i f i t

cont ai ns a shor t and pl ai n st at ement of t he cl ai m showi ng t hat

t he pl eader i s ent i t l ed t o r el i ef . FED. R. CI V. P. 8( a) ( 2) .

A di st r i ct cour t , i n wei ghi ng a mot i on t o di smi ss, asks

not whet her a pl ai nt i f f wi l l ul t i mat el y pr evai l but whet her

t he cl ai mant i s ent i t l ed t o of f er evi dence t o suppor t t he

cl ai ms[ . ] Bel l At l . Cor p. v. Twombl y, 550 U. S. 544, 563 n. 8

( 2007) ( quot i ng Scheuer v. Rhoades, 416 U. S. 232, 236 ( 1974) ) ;

see al so Ashcr of t v. I qbal , 129 S. Ct . 1937, 1953 ( 2009) ( Our

deci si on i n Twombl y expounded t he pl eadi ng st andar d f or al l

ci vi l act i ons [ . ] ) ( c i t at i on omi t t ed) . Fi r s t , under t he

Twombl y/ I qbal st andar d, a di st r i ct cour t must accept al l of t he

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compl ai nt s wel l pl eaded f act s as t r ue, but may di sr egar d any

l egal concl usi ons. Fowl er v. UPMC Shadysi de, 578 F. 3d 203,

210- 11 ( 3d Ci r . 2009) ( ci t i ng I qbal , 129 S. Ct . at 1949) .

Second, a di st r i ct cour t must t hen det er mi ne whet her t he

f act s al l eged i n t he compl ai nt ar e suf f i ci ent t o show t hat t he

pl ai nt i f f has a pl aus i bl e cl ai m f or r el i ef . Fowl er , 578 F. 3d

at 211 ( ci t i ng I qbal , 129 S. Ct . at 1950) . [ A] compl ai nt must

do mor e t han al l ege t he pl ai nt i f f s ent i t l ement t o r el i ef .

Fowl er , 578 F. 3d at 211; see al so Phi l l i ps v. Count y of

Al l egheny, 515 F. 3d 224, 234 ( 3d Ci r . 2008) ( The Supr eme

Cour t s Twombl y f or mul at i on of t he pl eadi ng st andar d can be

summed up t hus: st at i ng . . . a cl ai m r equi r es a compl ai nt wi t h

enough f act ual mat t er ( t aken as t r ue) t o suggest t he r equi r ed

el ement . Thi s does not i mpose a pr obabi l i t y r equi r ement at t he

pl eadi ng st age, but i nst ead si mpl y cal l s f or enough f act s t o

r ai se a r easonabl e expect at i on t hat di scover y wi l l r eveal

evi dence of t he necessar y el ement . ) ( ci t i ng Twombl y, 550 U. S.

at 556) . The def endant bear s t he bur den of showi ng t hat no

cl ai m has been pr esent ed. Hedges v. U. S. , 404 F. 3d 744, 750

( 3d Ci r . 2005) .

IV. ANALYSIS

I n t he i nst ant mot i on, Def endant s seek t he di smi ssal of al l

of Pl ai nt i f f s cl ai ms. Wi t h r espect t o Count I , Def endant s

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chal l enge t he suf f i ci ency of Bl uewi r e s compl ai nt t o est abl i sh a

cl ai m f or copyr i ght i nf r i ngement pur suant t o t he Copyr i ght Act

of 1976. Speci f i cal l y, Def endant s ar gue t hat Pl ai nt i f f s f ai l t o

st at e a cl ai m f or copyr i ght i nf r i ngement because t he compl ai nt

does not al l ege t hat Pl ai nt i f f s obt ai ned a r egi st r at i on f or t he

copyr i ght i n t he 2010 SZ Adver t i sement . ( Mem. i n Supp. of

Def s. Mot . t o Di smi ss Pl s. Compl . For Fai l ur e t o St at e a Cl ai m

[ Doc. No. 6- 1] ( her ei naf t er , Def s. Mem. ) , 4, 8- 9. )

Al t er nat i vel y, Def endant s ar gue t hat even i f Pl ai nt i f f s have

suf f i ci ent l y al l eged a pr i ma f aci e case of copyr i ght

i nf r i ngement , Count I shoul d st i l l be di smi ssed because

Def endant s use of t he 2010 SZ Adver t i sement const i t ut es f ai r

use of t he copyr i ght ed mat er i al under 17 U. S. C. 107. ( I d. at

10- 20. ) Addi t i onal l y, wi t h r espect Pl ai nt i f f s s t at e l aw c l ai m

f or i nt er f er ence wi t h pr ospect i ve economi c advant age as al l eged

i n Count I I , Def endant s cont end t hat t hi s cl ai m i s pr eempt ed

under t he Supr emacy Cl ause as a r esul t of bot h expl i ci t

pr eempt i on and conf l i ct pr eempt i on. ( I d. at 21- 24. )

As t he Thi r d Ci r cui t has pr evi ousl y expl ai ned, Congr ess i s

speci f i cal l y empower ed [ by Const i t ut i onal mandat e] To pr omot e

t he Pr ogr ess of Sci ence and usef ul Ar t s, by secur i ng f or l i mi t ed

Ti me t o Aut hor s and I nvent or s t he excl usi ve Ri ght t o t hei r

r espect i ve Wr i t i ngs and Di scover i es. Dun & Br adst r eet

Sof t war e Ser vs. , I nc. v. Gr ace Consul t i ng, I nc. , 307 F. 3d 197,

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206 ( 3d Ci r . 2002) ( ci t i ng U. S. CONST. ART. I , 8) .

Exer ci si ng t hi s power , Congr ess has cr af t ed a compr ehensi ve

st at ut or y scheme gover ni ng t he exi st ence and scope of

[ c]opyr i ght pr ot ect i on f or or i gi nal wor ks of aut hor shi p f i xed

i n any t angi bl e medi um of expr essi on. Reed El sevi er , I nc. v.

Muchni ck, 559 U. S. 154, 157 ( U. S. 2010) ( ci t i ng 17 U. S. C.

102( a) ) .

Congr ess enact ed t he f i r st copyr i ght st at ut e as ear l y as

1790[ , ] and t he exi st i ng copyr i ght l aws ar e codi f i ed i n t he

Copyr i ght Act of 1976 ( t he Act ) . Dun, 307 F. 3d at 206.

The Copyr i ght Act pr ovi des i n per t i nent par t t hat :

( a) Copyr i ght pr ot ect i on subsi st s, i n accor dancewi t h t hi s t i t l e, i n or i gi nal wor ks of aut hor shi pf i xed i n any t angi bl e medi um of expr essi on, nowknown or l at er devel oped, f r om whi ch t hey can beper cei ved, r epr oduced, or ot her wi secommuni cat ed, ei t her di r ect l y or wi t h t he ai d ofa machi ne or devi ce. Wor ks of aut hor shi p i ncl udet he f ol l owi ng cat egor i es:

( 1) l i t er ar y wor ks ;( 2) musi cal wor ks, i ncl udi ng anyaccompanyi ng wor ds;( 3) dr amat i c wor ks, i ncl udi ng anyaccompanyi ng musi c;( 4) pant omi mes and chor eogr aphi c wor ks;( 5) pi ct or i al , gr aphi c, and scul pt ur alwor ks;

( 6) mot i on pi ct ur es and ot her audi ovi sualwor ks;( 7) sound r ecor di ngs; and( 8) ar chi t ect ur al wor ks.

17 U. S. C. 102( a) . I t appear s t hat wi t h r espect t o t he 2010 SZ

Adver t i sement , Pl ai nt i f f s ar e pr oceedi ng under subsect i on si x

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whi ch subj ect s mot i on pi ct ur es and ot her audi ovi sual wor ks t o

copyr i ght pr oj ect i on.

Under Sect i on 106 of t he Copyr i ght Act , t he owner of a

copyr i ght mai nt ai ns t he excl usi ve r i ght s t o do and t o aut hor i ze

any of t he f ol l owi ng:

( 1) t o r epr oduce t he copyr i ght ed wor k i n copi es orphonor ecor ds;( 2) t o pr epar e der i vat i ve wor ks based upon t hecopyr i ght ed wor k;( 3) t o di st r i but e copi es or phonor ecor ds of t hecopyr i ght ed wor k t o t he publ i c by sal e or ot hert r ansf er of owner shi p, or by r ent al , l ease, orl endi ng;( 4) i n t he case of l i t er ar y, musi cal , dr amat i c, andchor eogr aphi c wor ks, pant omi mes, and mot i onpi ct ur es and ot her audi ovi sual wor ks, t o per f or mt he copyr i ght ed wor k publ i cl y;( 5) i n t he case of l i t er ar y, musi cal , dr amat i c, andchor eogr aphi c wor ks, pant omi mes, and pi ct or i al ,gr aphi c, or scul pt ur al wor ks, i ncl udi ng t hei ndi vi dual i mages of a mot i on pi ct ur e or ot heraudi ovi sual wor k, t o di spl ay t he copyr i ght ed wor kpubl i cl y; and( 6) i n t he case of sound r ecor di ngs, t o per f or m t hecopyr i ght ed wor k publ i cl y by means of a di gi t alaudi o t r ansmi ssi on.

17 U. S. C. 106

As t he Uni t ed Supr eme Cour t has succi nct l y expl ai ned,

[ t ] hi s scheme gi ves copyri ght owner s t he excl usi ve r i ght s

( wi t h speci f i ed st at ut or y except i ons) t o di st r i but e, r epr oduce,

or publ i cl y per f or m t hei r wor ks. Reed El sevi er , 559 U. S. at

157 ( ci t i ng 17 U. S. C. 106, 501( a) - ( b) ) . Ther ef or e,

[ a] nyone who vi ol at es any of t he excl usi ve r i ght s of t he

copyr i ght owner as pr ovi ded i n t he Act i s an i nf r i nger of t he

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copyr i ght [ , ] and [ w] hen such i nf r i ngement occur s, a copyri ght

owner i s ent i t l ed, subj ect t o t he r equi r ement s of sect i on 411,

t o i nst i t ut e an act i on f or copyr i ght i nf r i ngement . I d.

Gener al l y, [ t ] o est abl i sh a c l ai m of copyr i ght

i nf r i ngement , a pl ai nt i f f must est abl i sh: ( 1) owner shi p of a

val i d copyr i ght , and ( 2) unaut hor i zed copyi ng of or i gi nal

el ement s of pl ai nt i f f s wor k. Kay Ber r y, I nc . v. Tayl or

Gi f t s, I nc. , 421 F. 3d 199, 203 ( 3d Ci r . 2005) ( ci t i ng Dun, 307

F. 3d at 206) . I n t hi s cont ext , copyi ng means t he act of

i nf r i ngi ng any of t he excl usi ve r i ght s t hat accr ue t o t he owner

of a val i d copyr i ght , as set f or t h at 17 U. S. C. 106 [ above] ,

i ncl udi ng t he r i ght s t o di st r i but e and r epr oduce copyr i ght ed

mat er i al . J our nal of Af r i can Ci vi l i z at i ons Lt d. , I nc. v.

Tr ansact i on Publ i sher s, No. 116268, 2013 WL 6498983, at *3

( D. N. J . Dec. 11, 2013) ( ci t i ng Kay Ber r y, 421 F. 3d at 207)

( i nt er nal quot at i ons omi t t ed) .

Rel evant t o resol ut i on of Def endant s mot i on, Sect i on

411( a) pr ovi des, i nt er al i a and wi t h cer t ai n except i ons, t hat

no ci vi l act i on f or i nf r i ngement of t he copyr i ght i n any Uni t ed

St at es wor k shal l be i nst i t ut ed unt i l pr er egi st r at i on or

r egi st r at i on of t he copyr i ght cl ai m has been made i n accor dance

wi t h t hi s t i t l e. Reed El sevi er , 559 U. S. at 157- 58 ( ci t i ng 17

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U. S. C. 411( a) ) . 2 Thus, as par t of t he Act s r emedi al scheme,

Sect i on 411( a) est abl i shes a condi t i on copyr i ght r egi st r at i on

t hat pl ai nt i f f s or di nar i l y mus t sat i s f y bef or e f i l i ng an

i nf r i ngement cl ai m and i nvoki ng t he Act ' s r emedi al pr ovi si ons.

I d. at 158. Consi st ent wi t h t he r equi r ement s of Sect i on 411( a) ,

cour t s i n t hi s Di st r i c t r out i nel y di smi ss cl ai ms f or copyr i ght

i nf r i ngement wher e t he pl ai nt i f f f ai l s t o pl ead r egi s t r at i on of

t he copyr i ght f or t he wor k t hat i s t he subj ect of t he act i on.

See, e. g. , Nor t h J er sey Medi a Gr oup I nc. v. Sasson, No. 2: 12

3568, 2013 WL 74237, at *2- 3 ( D. N. J . J an. 04, 2013) ( f i ndi ng

t hat unt i l [ pl ai nt i f f ] hol ds a cer t i f i cat e of copyr i ght

r egi s t r at i on f or t he [ wor ks at i s sue] , [ pl ai nt i f f ] cannot s t at e

a pr i ma f aci e cl ai m of copyr i ght i nf r i ngement f or any of t hose

wor ks and di smi ssi ng copyr i ght i nf r i ngement cl ai ms) ; Levey v.

Br ownst one I nv. Gr oup, LLC. , No. 11- 395, 2012 WL 295718, at *3

( D. N. J . Feb. 1, 2012) ( di smi ssi ng pl ai nt i f f s amended compl ai nt

and f i ndi ng t hat pl ai nt i f f coul d not st at e a pr i ma f aci e case

f or copyr i ght i nf r i ngement because he di d not hol d a r egi st er ed

copyr i ght at t he t i me he f i l ed hi s amended compl ai nt ) ; Goodman

2 Sect i on 411( a) expr essl y al l ows cour t s t o adj udi cat ei nf r i ngement cl ai ms i nvol vi ng unr egi st er ed wor ks i n t hr eeci r cumst ances: wher e t he wor k i s not a U. S. wor k, wher e t hei nf r i ngement cl ai m concer ns r i ght s of at t r i but i on and i nt egr i t yunder 106A, or wher e t he hol der at t empt ed t o r egi st er t he wor kand r egi st r at i on was r ef used. Reed El sevi er , 559 U. S. at 165.I t appear s t hat none of t he except i ons set f or t h i n Sect i on411( a) ar e r el evant i n t hi s case.

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Zi mmer man own t he f i ni shed adver t i sement al ong wi t hpl ai nt i f f s [ , ] ( Compl . 13) ;

No par t y ot her t han pl ai nt i f f s, . . . Si mmons and . . .Zi mmer man or t hei r desi gnee has been gr ant ed per mi ss i on t ouse i n any manner t he copyr i ght ed mat er i al cr eat ed by

pl ai nt i f f s f or Si mmons and Zi mmer man[ , ] ( i d. ) ; At no t i me has owner shi p of t he af or ement i oned

adver t i sement and vi deo f oot age been sol d t o anot her par t yor aut hor i zat i on gi ven t o anot her par t y t o use sai dadver t i sement , any component of i t , or any of t he vi deof oot age[ , ] ( i d. 14) ;

[ A] f t er r ecei pt of t he [ cease and desi s t ] l et t er ,pl ai nt i f f s copyr i ght ed mat er i al was shown r epeat edl y ont el evi s i on and t he i nt er net , ( i d. 19) ;

For t hei r own pr of i t and advant age, def endant s havemi sappr opr i at ed t he pl ai nt i f f s copyr i ght ed mat er i al [ , ]

( i d. 20) ; Def endant s conduct vi ol at ed t he excl usi ve r i ght s

bel ongi ng t o pl ai nt i f f s as owner s of t he sai d copyr i ght edmat er i al . . . ( i d. 22) .

Despi t e t he Cour t s t hor ough r evi ew, i t i s cl ear t hat none

of t he al l egat i ons set f or t h above or i n t he r emai nder of t he

compl ai nt pl ead t he necessar y pr econdi t i on t o f i l i ng a cl ai m f or

copyr i ght i nf r i ngement t hat Pl ai nt i f f s hol d a r egi st er ed

copyr i ght i n t he 2010 SZ Adver t i sement as r equi r ed under Sect i on

411( a) . I n t he absence of t hi s r equi r ed al l egat i on, gi ven

Pl ai nt i f f s f ai l ur e t o addr ess t hi s ar gument i n opposi t i on t o

t he mot i on t o di smi ss, t he Cour t f i nds t hat Pl ai nt i f f s ar e

unabl e t o st at e a pr i ma f aci e case f or copyr i ght i nf r i ngement ,

and Count I of t he compl ai nt must be di smi ssed. See Tel ebr ands

Cor p. v. Except i onal Pr oduct s I nc. , No. 11- 2252, 2011 WL

6029402, at *3 ( D. N. J . Dec. 05, 2011) ( obser vi ng t hat a par t y

may not st at e a pr i ma f aci e case of copyr i ght i nf r i ngement wher e

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t he par t y does not hol d a r egi st er ed copyr i ght i n accor dance

wi t h 17 U. S. C. 411( a) ) ( ci t i ng DawesLl oyd v. Publ i sh Amer i ca,

LLLP, 441 F. App x 956, 957 ( 3d Ci r . 2011) ) . Al t hough

Pl ai nt i f f s compl ai nt al l eges i n gener al t er ms t hat t hey own t he

vi deo f oot age and mast er t ape of t he 2010 SZ Adver t i sement , and

t hat t hi s mat er i al i s copyr i ght ed, t hese al l egat i ons ar e

i nsuf f i c i ent t o demonst r at e t hat Pl ai nt i f f s have sat i sf i ed t he

r egi st r at i on r equi r ement set f or t h i n Sect i on 411( a) pr i or t o

f i l i ng sui t . 3

Fi nal l y, i n l i ght of t he di smi s sal of Pl ai nt i f f s f eder al

copyr i ght i nf r i ngement cl ai m, Pl ai nt i f f s no l onger mai nt ai n a

cause of act i on whi ch i ndependent l y est abl i shes f eder al subj ect

mat t er j ur i sdi ct i on. Accor di ngl y, pur suant t o 28 U. S. C.

1367( c) ( 3) , t he Cour t , sua sponte , decl i nes t o exer ci se

suppl ement al j ur i sdi ct i on Pl ai nt i f f s s t at e l aw cl ai m f or

i nt er f er ence wi t h pr ospect i ve economi c advant age. Under Sect i on

1367( c) ( 3) , [ a] di st r i ct cour t may decl i ne t o exer ci se

suppl ement al j ur i sdi ct i on over a cl ai m i f t he di s t r i ct cour t

has di smi ssed al l cl ai ms over whi ch i t has ori gi nal

j ur i sdi ct i on[ . ] Or as v. Ci t y of J er sey Ci t y, 328 F. App x

3 Havi ng di smi ssed Pl ai nt i f f s copyr i ght i nf r i ngement cl ai mbased on Pl ai nt i f f s f ai l ur e t o compl y wi t h 17 U. S. C. 411( a) ,t he Cour t need not addr ess Def endant s al t er nat i ve ar gument t hatdi smi ssal i s al so war r ant ed because t hei r use of t he 2010 SZAdver t i sement i n t he 2011 CHP Adver t i sement const i t ut es f ai r useas set f or t h i n Sect i on 107 of t he Copyr i ght Act of 1976.

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V. CONCLUSION

For t he f or egoi ng r easons, Def endant s Mot i on t o Di smi ss i s

gr ant ed, and Pl ai nt i f f s compl ai nt wi l l be di smi ssed wi t hout

pr ej udi ce. An Or der consi st ent wi t h t hi s Opi ni on wi l l be

ent er ed.

Dat ed: Mar ch 24, 2014 s/ Noel L. Hi l l manAt Camden, New J er sey NOEL L. HI LLMAN, U. S. D. J .

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