Robinson v. Viacom International, Inc.
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
93 Civ. 2539 (RPP), 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9781 (1995)
- Written by Eric Miller, JD
Facts
Tom Robinson and Phil Herter (plaintiffs) copyrighted a treatment for a proposed television series about a modern suburban family haunted by the ghosts of a 1950s sitcom family. The show was not produced. The American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. (ABC) (defendant) and Nickelodeon networks aired a show called Hi Honey! I’m Home, about a modern single-parent family that interacts with a family reminiscent of 1950s sitcoms. Robinson and Herter brought a copyright-infringement action against ABC, Viacom International, Inc., MTV Networks, Ripe Productions, Inc., Penny Stallings, and Rick Mitz (defendants). Robinson and Herter asserted that no show about a modern family’s interactions with a 1950s sitcom family had been produced up to that point.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning ()
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