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

Denver judge stays all Righthaven cases in Colorado

Thu, May 19, 2011

A federal judge in Colorado today said there are serious questions about the validity of the Righthaven LLC/Denver Post copyright infringement lawsuits there, and he put them all on hold.

Legal expert dubious about class-action counterclaim against Righthaven

Wed, May 18, 2011

A class-action counterclaim against Las Vegas copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC attracted plenty of attention Tuesday — along with doubts about its probability of success.

Righthaven hit with class-action counterclaim

Tue, May 17, 2011

One of the website operators accused of copyright infringement by Righthaven LLC has retaliated, hitting the Las Vegas company with a class-action counterclaim seeking to represent defendants in all 57 ...

Critics: Amendments fail to fix flaws in Righthaven cases

Mon, May 16, 2011

Copyright enforcer Righthaven LLC’s amended lawsuit contract with the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s owner still doesn’t give it the right to sue over infringements of Review-Journal material, defense attorneys in two ...

Righthaven faces new challenges to copyright suits

Sat, May 14, 2011

Las Vegas newspaper copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC’s standing to file lawsuits is being challenged again, this time in Colorado.

Citadel Broadcasting settles Righthaven lawsuit

Tue, May 10, 2011

Even as its lawsuit model is under attack, Las Vegas copyright enforcer Righthaven LLC has reached additional settlements including one with high-profile defendant Citadel Broadcasting Co.

R-J owner says copyright lawsuits target 'parasitic' infringers

Tue, May 10, 2011

The owner of the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Monday disputed criticism by a federal judge about its no-warning copyright lawsuit campaign.

Lawyers ask to participate in potentially pivotal copyright case

Sat, May 7, 2011

The attorneys most active in fighting Las Vegas copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC now want to participate in a potentially pivotal case involving copyright infringement allegations against the Pahrump Life ...

Despite setbacks, Righthaven forges ahead with new copyright lawsuits

Fri, May 6, 2011

Righthaven LLC sued six more website operators Thursday in Las Vegas, showing again its copyright enforcement campaign is active despite recent setbacks.

Online freedom group EFF seeks dismissal of more Righthaven/R-J lawsuits

Thu, May 5, 2011

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is stepping up its offensive against Las Vegas copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC and has asked a judge to throw out of court Righthaven suits ...

Righthaven engages 'superstar' attorney in litigation campaign

Wed, May 4, 2011

The owner of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and its copyright enforcement partner have enlisted one of the nation’s top copyright attorneys to help defend their litigation campaign.

Judge weighing whether to dismiss copyright lawsuit

Wed, May 4, 2011

A judge questioned attorneys Tuesday about who — if anyone — was harmed when a Kentucky man posted without authorization a Las Vegas newspaper column on a sports website message ...

Veterans advocate not satisfied with offer to drop copyright lawsuit

Fri, Apr 29, 2011

Righthaven LLC/Denver Post lawsuit defendant Denise Nichols remains unhappy — despite efforts by Righthaven to dismiss its lawsuit against her. Nichols, a retired Air Force nurse, served in the Vietnam ...

Judge doubtful of Righthaven’s right to sue over R-J material

Thu, Apr 28, 2011

One of the judges most critical of newspaper copyright infringement lawsuit filer Righthaven LLC said in an order Thursday that Righthaven does not appear to have the right to sue ...

Commentary: Righthaven defendant tries a fresh approach

Tue, Apr 26, 2011

One of the Righthaven LLC lawsuit defendants is posing some compelling, back-to-basics questions about his case.

Judge grants summary judgment in favor of Righthaven defendant

Fri, Apr 22, 2011

A judge on Friday signed an order finding an Oregon nonprofit did not infringe on copyrights when it posted without authorization an entire story from the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The ...

Righthaven delivers statements in latest suit

Fri, Apr 22, 2011

Las Vegas copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC made a couple of statements with its latest lawsuit Thursday.

Righthaven confident as critics focus on ‘sham’ copyright transfers

Wed, Apr 20, 2011

Las Vegas copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC is confident its lawsuits over Las Vegas Review-Journal material remain valid – despite new evidence that defense attorneys say proves the copyright assignments ...

Righthaven copyright claims attacked in more cases

Wed, Apr 20, 2011

Claims by Las Vegas newspaper copyright enforcer Righthaven LLC that it “owns” the copyrights it sues for are under attack in two more of its lawsuits.

Attorneys say new evidence shows fraud by Righthaven

Sun, Apr 17, 2011

Defense attorneys in at least two Righthaven LLC copyright infringement lawsuits filed motions to dismiss over the weekend, citing new evidence they say shows Righthaven has perpetrated a fraud on ...

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.