Righthaven Stories

Since March 2010, Righthaven has teamed with the Las Vegas Review-Journal and the Denver Post to file a whopping 275 federal lawsuits alleging copyright infringement and seeking damages of $150,000 apiece.

These lawsuits are filed in retroactive fashion, meaning if someone posted a Review-Journal story without authorization in December, Righthaven spotted the infringement in January, obtained the copyright to the story in February and sued the unsuspecting defendant in March.

The suits say Righthaven has the right to collect damages for infringements, be they in the past, the present or the future. Internet sites, bloggers and message board posters throughout North America and in Europe are accused in the suits of posting, without authorization, on their websites partial or entire stories from those newspapers, as well as editorials, columns, graphics and photos.

Archive highlights

Righthaven: The controversy over copyrights

Mon, Jul 25, 2011

The time has come to add copyright lawsuits—alongside casinos—as one of the things Las Vegas is best known for nationally. Copyright lawsuits? Yes, in national legal and media circles, Las ...

Judge: Righthaven masquerading as a company

Thu, Jul 14, 2011

A judge today fined newspaper copyright lawsuit filer Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas $5,000 for misleading Nevada’s federal court about its lawsuits.

Righthaven hurts news industry, one ruling at a time

Sun, Jun 26, 2011

Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist and former Publisher Sherman Frederick’s column today involving his “little friend” Righthaven could be Exhibit A in the case against Righthaven’s litigation strategy.

Legal attack dog sicked on websites accused of violating R-J copyrights

Wed, Aug 4, 2010

When it comes to fighting copyright theft in the news industry — the piracy of stories, editorials, columns, photos and videos — there are watchdogs and there are attack dogs.

All stories

Righthaven defendant cites lies, releases correspondence

Thu, Mar 3, 2011

A South Carolina blogger sued by Las Vegas copyright enforcer Righthaven LLC says Righthaven has been spreading lies and misinformation about her and other defendants in Righthaven's 239 lawsuits.

Righthaven defendant threatens to seek settlement refunds

Sun, Feb 27, 2011

A South Carolina woman sued by Las Vegas copyright enforcer Righthaven LLC escalated her counter-attack on Sunday, arguing Righthaven should refund hundreds of thousands of dollars it has obtained in ...

Copyright lawsuit defendant hits Righthaven with counterclaim

Sat, Feb 26, 2011

A group of South Carolina attorneys is putting up the stiffest resistance yet to a Righthaven LLC copyright infringement lawsuit, threatening Friday to press for sanctions against Las Vegas-based Righthaven ...

Righthaven sues Las Vegas-based Citadel Broadcasting over caption contest

Fri, Feb 25, 2011

Media giant Citadel Broadcasting Co. was hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit Thursday after one of its radio station websites conducted a caption contest for a Denver Post "TSA enhanced ...

National bloggers' group intervenes in copyright lawsuit campaign

Wed, Feb 23, 2011

A national bloggers’ group intervened in the Righthaven LLC newspaper copyright infringement lawsuit campaign Wednesday, urging a federal judge not to reward Righthaven for what the bloggers call its “get-rich-quick ...

Matt Drudge settles Righthaven copyright lawsuit

Wed, Feb 16, 2011

Matt Drudge of the Drudge Report will likely keep his valuable website domain name after settling a newspaper copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas.

Righthaven appealing fair-use ruling in copyright infringement case

Tue, Feb 15, 2011

Las Vegas copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC is asking the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn an order dismissing one of its lawsuits on fair use grounds.

Righthaven files first judgment motion, demands cash and domain name

Sat, Feb 12, 2011

A development in the Righthaven newspaper copyright infringement lawsuit campaign may generate some guidance on what damages Righthaven is entitled to collect from its lawsuits and whether it can seize ...

Judge refuses to dismiss Righthaven suit against California real estate agent

Fri, Feb 11, 2011

Las Vegas copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC received a boost this week when a federal judge refused to dismiss a lawsuit it filed against a Southern California real estate agent.

New round of Righthaven suits over 'TSA pat-down' photo prompts surprise

Tue, Feb 8, 2011

Website operators and commentators are expressing surprise and skepticism about the latest batch of copyright infringement lawsuits filed by Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas, all over the same Denver Post ...

Righthaven hits white supremacist David Duke with copyright lawsuit

Mon, Feb 7, 2011

David Duke, the nation's best-known white supremacist, is being sued by Las Vegas copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC.

'TSA pat-down' photo draws more Righthaven copyright lawsuits

Tue, Feb 1, 2011

Operators of a website called thoushaltnotsteel.com are among the latest to be hit with a Righthaven LLC lawsuit alleging copyright infringement.

Flood of Righthaven copyright lawsuits lifts total to 225

Fri, Jan 28, 2011

Las Vegas company Righthaven LLC this week flooded the federal court in Colorado with a dozen more lawsuits alleging copyright infringement by website operators -- all over the same Denver ...

Blogger, websites sued by Righthaven over 'TSA enhanced pat-down' photo

Mon, Jan 24, 2011

Four website owners and a blogger are the defendants in four new copyright infringement lawsuits filed by Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas.

Website owner pushes back against Righthaven with counterclaim

Thu, Jan 20, 2011

Another website owner is fighting back against newspaper copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC, counter-suing the Las Vegas firm and charging it sues first and asks questions later.

Righthaven extends copyright lawsuit campaign to individual Web posters

Wed, Jan 12, 2011

Las Vegas copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC is now suing individual message-board posters, not just website operators.

Righthaven files new copyright suit as defendants push back

Tue, Jan 4, 2011

Righthaven LLC of Las Vegas filed another copyright infringement lawsuit Monday, even as existing defendants fought back against Righthaven lawsuits.

Righthaven disputes fair use defense in copyright case

Mon, Dec 27, 2010

Las Vegas newspaper copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC is disputing arguments that one of its lawsuits should be dismissed on fair use and other grounds.

Third defendant countersues Righthaven, Stephens Media

Wed, Dec 15, 2010

A Massachusetts man sued for copyright infringement over a Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial is fighting back, hitting the Review-Journal's owner with a counterclaim charging copyright fraud.

Judge focuses on question of 'fair use' in copyright lawsuit

Wed, Dec 15, 2010

Critics of copyright infringement lawsuits over Las Vegas Review-Journal stories keep coming back to one simple argument: There can be no online copyright infringements because the Review-Journal encourages readers to ...

Videos

Dead in the Water?
Dead in the Water?
A federal judge has called Righthaven's tactics in suing to protect online content not just ...

More Information

What is a copyright?

According to the US Copyright Office, copyright is a form of intellectual property law that protects original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic and musical works, and artistic works such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software and architecture. Such protection encourages creativity.

Under the fair use doctrine of the US copyright statute, it is permissible to use limited portions of a work, including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, news reporting and scholarly reports. What is fair use is decided on a case-by-case basis, with judges often relying on evolving case law.

Righthaven’s numbers as of July 15

• Of Righthaven’s 276 lawsuits, all but one involved material from the Las Vegas Review-Journal and the Denver Post. One suit was filed over sports betting material that didn’t involve a newspaper.

• Righthaven’s lawsuits were filed in Las Vegas, Denver and Charleston, SC.

213 Righthaven lawsuits involve Las Vegas Review-Journal material. After settlements and dismissals, 79 were active.

62 involved Denver Post material and 34 were active.

What others are saying about Righthaven

"Plaintiff’s litigation strategy has a chilling effect on potential fair uses of Righthaven-owned articles, diminishes public access to the facts contained therein and does nothing to advance the Copyright Act’s purpose of promoting artistic creation.”— U.S. District Judge James Mahan in Las Vegas

"The purpose of the courts is to provide a forum for the orderly, just, and timely resolution of controversies and disputes. Plaintiff’s (Righthaven’s) wishes to the contrary, the courts are not merely tools for encouraging and exacting settlements from defendants cowed by the potential costs of litigation and liability.’’ — U.S. District Judge John Kane in Denver

"Righthaven and Stephens Media have attempted to create a cottage industry of filing copyright claims, making large claims for damages and then settling claims for pennies on the dollar, with defendants who do not want to incur the costs of defending the lawsuits, (and) are now offended when someone has turned the tables on them and insisting on a judgment in their favor rather than a simple dismissal of the lawsuit.” — U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt in Las Vegas

"I’m asking you nicely once again—don’t steal our content. Or, I promise you, you will meet my little friend called Righthaven.” — Sherman Frederick, at the time publisher of the Las Vegas Review-Journal

"Where the law has created a legal way to extort money from hapless netizens, Righthaven has stepped in for some quick cash. They’re not evil geniuses. They’re not right-wing extremists. They’re not left-wing zealots. The truth is much worse. They’re just jerks.” — Eric Johnson, associate professor of law at the University of North Dakota

"We were surprised to witness such behavior here, in the United States, while this is generally a phenomenon Reporters Without Borders witnesses in authoritarian regimes to silence netizens and intimidate journalists, bloggers and others. Therefore, we ask you to drop the lawsuit against him and find a reasonable compromise regarding his case.”— International press freedom group Reporters Without Borders, in a letter to the Denver Post regarding a Righthaven lawsuit against young autistic blogger Brian Hill and Righthaven’s $6,000 settlement demand along with its threat to garnish his Social Security Disability Insurance income at the rate of $50 per month for 10 years.