Slashdot Mirror


Falsely Accused Movie Pirate Deserves $17K Compensation, Court Says (torrentfreak.com)

An Oregon District Court has sided with a wrongfully accused man who was sued for allegedly downloading a pirated copy of the Adam Sandler movie "The Cobbler." According to the court's recommendations, reports TorrentFreak, the man is entitled to more than $17,000 in compensation as the result of the filmmakers "overaggressive" and "unreasonable" tactics. From the article: The defendant in question, Thomas Gonzales, operates an adult foster care home where several people had access to the Internet. The filmmakers were aware of this and during a hearing their counsel admitted that any guest could have downloaded the film. [...] "The Court finds that once Plaintiff learned that the alleged infringement was taking place at an adult group care home at which Gonzales did not reside, Plaintiff's continued pursuit of Gonzales for copyright infringement was objectively unreasonable," Judge Beckerman ruled. "The Court shares Gonzales' concern that Plaintiff is motivated, at least in large part, by extracting large settlements from individual consumers prior to any meaningful litigation. "On balance, the Court has concerns about the motivation behind Plaintiff's overaggressive litigation of this case and other cases, and that factor weighs in favor of fee shifting."

60 comments

  1. $17K by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Doesn't sound sufficiently punitive to me.

    --
    I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    1. Re:$17K by captaindomon · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This is a great precedent, though. If every falsely accused person went for damages of $17k, it would quickly alter the landscape for these studios.

      --
      Just because I can hook a shark from a boat, I do no offer to wrestle it in the water.
    2. Re:$17K by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      The damages would have been quite higher if they could have proven he actually watched that terrible movie.

    3. Re:$17K by mark-t · · Score: 1

      The standard for showing that the person was falsely accused is pretty high, however... if he had resided at the location in question instead of simply being the operator of the facility, it probably wouldn't have gone the way it did.

    4. Re:$17K by TWX · · Score: 1

      But at that point the damage would have already been done...

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    5. Re:$17K by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      What you call "these studios", I call trolls.

    6. Re:$17K by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Doesn't sound sufficiently punitive to me.

      I agree, I didn't see in the article what "large settlement" they were trying to extort from him. And since he obviously didn't pay the extortion they were doubtless suing for a ridiculous "Hollywood accounting" amount. The defendant's settlement should be at least three times that amount PLUS his attorney fees. There is plenty of precedent for this in law, passing a bad check makes you liable for three times the amount for example.

    7. Re:$17K by parkinglot777 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Doesn't sound sufficiently punitive to me.

      The defendant did NOT ask for punitive damage but only the rewards which are expenses that the defendant had to pay out of pocket during the litigation.

      *** From the court document ***
      Gonzales has filed a motion for an award of costs and attorney’s fees. (Def.’s Mot. Att’y Fees, ECF No. 47.) Specifically, Gonzales seeks $264.60 in costs and $17,222.40 in attorney’s fees, for successfully defending Plaintiff’s contributory infringement claim.

    8. Re:$17K by parkinglot777 · · Score: 2

      The standard for showing that the person was falsely accused is pretty high, however... if he had resided at the location in question instead of simply being the operator of the facility, it probably wouldn't have gone the way it did.

      May or may not be different. The reason is that the plaintiff only use IP address to identify that there is an illegal download of the movie. The Internet in the place is shared, so the plaintiff will have to do a lot more due diligent (more expenses and time) in order to find the right person. If the plaintiff ever found a person, the case would be completely different when filing (much stronger evidence)...

    9. Re:$17K by mark-t · · Score: 4, Informative

      That wasn't what happened, however. The court determined that it was unreasonable for the studio to continue to pursue litigation when they knew that the person did not live there (irrespective of whether or not he was innocent), and that is why he was awarded damages.

    10. Re:$17K by geekmux · · Score: 2

      This is a great precedent, though. If every falsely accused person went for damages of $17k, it would quickly alter the landscape for these studios.

      From a litigation perspective, they have taken 2,074 steps forward, and one step backward.

      This will do exactly two things to their "landscape"; Jack and Shit.

    11. Re:$17K by theendlessnow · · Score: 2

      Actually it's ok since he got a copy of The Cobbler downloaded too.

    12. Re:$17K by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So the shortage of ipv4 addresses is actually useful. It forces NATing, hiding the identity of downloaders.
      The only thing you need, is to ensure that not all devices are owned by the same person. which is why you should share an internet connection with a few neighbours. Cheaper too!

    13. Re:$17K by umghhh · · Score: 1

      I'd go for tar and feathers or stocks. Or first tar & feathers, run the suckers trough the main streets of the town and then stocks on main square. The only purpose of these 'studios' is extortion. This is racket using legals system instead of common violence.

    14. Re:$17K by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      So make them also watch Sandlers "Jack and Jill." This is one "comedy movie" that doesn't even try to be comedy. Even the fart jokes wouldn't get a laugh from the kids, and letting young children watch it will scar them for life. Rotten Tomatoes rates it as 50% better than The Cobbler - but a rating of 3% instead of 2% says it all.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    15. Re:$17K by networkBoy · · Score: 1

      what about room mates?

      --
      whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
    16. Re:$17K by mark-t · · Score: 1

      While that may (or may not) be a defense against having to actually *pay* damages, being awarded damages for being sued for piracy does not depend on whether or not you are innocent of the accusation, or even that it only *may* have been you who had done it, but only because it is unreasonable for the accuser to conclude that you may have done it in the first place because you do not actually live there.

      My point being that the bar for getting awarded damages for the accused is actually pretty high... at least it will, however, ensure that the studios are suing somebody who lives at the right address.

  2. An Adam Sandler movie? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Really?

    1. Re:An Adam Sandler movie? by PPH · · Score: 4, Funny

      Diminished capacity defense.

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
    2. Re:An Adam Sandler movie? by TWX · · Score: 1

      Well it was an adult care foster home, so that kind of goes without saying.

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    3. Re:An Adam Sandler movie? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You would have to pay me at least double that to watch anything with Adam Sandler in it.

  3. Title missing important inverted commas by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The title as is implies that the man is a movie pirate and was falsely accused (of something)...

    Or just change it to "Man falsely accused of movie piracy..."

    The actual article does it better, although they added the quotes to 'falsely' too for some unknown reason...: Court: ‘Falsely’ Accused ‘Movie Pirate’ Deserves $17K Compensation

    1. Re: Title missing important inverted commas by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How about: "Man" "Falsely" "Accused" of "Movie" "Piracy"

    2. Re: Title missing important inverted commas by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Matches this: Alien Mistakenly Alerted of Wargame Practice

  4. Re:Need a change of leadership by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Blaming things on (((the Jews))) means that, if the Jews are removed, you'll willingly fall prey to the same tactic because you'll not be expecting it from a non-Jew.

  5. More then the movie made... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Isn't $17k more then this movie made?

    1. Re:More then the movie made... by PCM2 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Not really. Adam Sandler movies are basically massive scams where he makes huge profits by selling advertising into the movie, then writes up giant paychecks for himself and all his cronies. No matter how shitty his movies are, the Adam Sandler business is basically self-sustaining.

      --
      Breakfast served all day!
    2. Re:More then the movie made... by gatfirls · · Score: 1

      That was pretty funny but I looked it up and it earned $24,000 (yes twenty four thousand) in its opening weekend.

      The budget was 10mil and total box office was 1.2mil, DVD another 2mil. Wow.

      How you recover from that level of a flop I have no idea.

    3. Re:More then the movie made... by dbIII · · Score: 2

      How you recover from that level of a flop I have no idea.

      It's written off as part of a portfolio of other losses to avoid paying tax.


      On a funny note the original "Mad Max" (Road Warrior was the title of the US dub) was financed as part of a tax evasion scheme, which is why the director was allowed full control, and the investors were initially horrified when it started making money. Once it started making a LOT of money they were not so horrified.

    4. Re:More then the movie made... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      that "thing" in there, that's not the Goose

    5. Re:More then the movie made... by pjbgravely · · Score: 2

      The movie Mad Max 2, was called the Road Warrior in the US, not Mad Max. As far as I Know only the original movie Mad Max was dubbed for the US.

      --
      Star Trek, there maybe hope.
    6. Re:More then the movie made... by dbIII · · Score: 1

      I stand corrected that the stupid retitle thing started with the second movie, but yes, the first movie was dubbed!

    7. Re:More then the movie made... by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      Why did they dubb it? Was it originally in an aboriginal language? They speak English in Australia...I know it sounds funny, but honest!

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  6. falsely accused? how? by nimbius · · Score: 5, Funny

    $17000 is a little absurd considering how many safeguards the industry puts in place to ensure false accusation doesnt occur. For example, does the accused sink, or float in water? is he capable of reading aloud holy scripture? these are valid and important precursors to ever filing a lawsuit for copyright infringement. For example, almost never has anyone accused of copyright infringement been brought before a court to testify after the MPAA has performed the important dunking and crushing under boulder tests to ensure the individuals absolute guilt prior to litigation.

    --
    Good people go to bed earlier.
    1. Re:falsely accused? how? by kwiecmmm · · Score: 2

      No no no. What else floats in water?

      A duck!

      If he weighs as much as a duck he must be guilty!

  7. This is compensation. The punitive part is by raymorris · · Score: 5, Informative

    The current ruling is about *compensation*, not punitive damages. If he wants to file for punitive damages, he's now in a position to file for that. It's two separate things.

  8. Re:Need a change of leadership by TWX · · Score: 4, Informative

    Jack Valenti, who shaped the modern era of the MPAA as its President for 38 years, was not Jewish. His parents were Italian immigrants, so it's fairly likely that he was Catholic.

    On Valenti's stepping-down in 2004, Dan Glickman was made President of the MPAA. He admittedly was Jewish, but he doesn't appear to have changes Valenti's policies too dramatically.

    Glickman left the MPAA in 2010 after only six years, to be replaced by Chuck Dodd, who is not Jewish.

    So for the last fifty years, someone whose religion can be described as Jewish was the head of the MPAA only 12% of the time. This seems to rather invalidate your argument.

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
  9. without any factual evidence and in criminal case by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    without any factual evidence!
    In criminal case the bar is even higher so the ideas to make pirating an criminal issues will be hardware and in some cases the state can be on the hook for your legal fees as well win or lose.

  10. Re:Need a change of leadership by mandark1967 · · Score: 1

    You should be grateful for the Jews...If not for them you'd have nothing to piss and moan about while cowardly hiding behind the AC moniker.

    --
    Sig Follows: "Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself." -- Mark Twain
  11. Slander? by TJHook3r · · Score: 2

    Surely being falsely accused of watching 'The Cobbler' is the bigger crime? The guy may have lost his job and family over crap like that.

  12. one stroke rather than many by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    An historian observes that if Sadler, like the last Czar ended up with a bullet in his head, the useful effect would encompass dozens of court cases.

  13. Pirate Compensation by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

    Actually, I've heard that he settled. Instead of $17k, they're giving him $15k, a parrot, and a lifetime supply of rum for compensation.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    1. Re:Pirate Compensation by networkBoy · · Score: 1

      I'd take that deal...
      Also, define "lifetime" and what is the absolute daily maximum for rum consumption.

      --
      whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
    2. Re:Pirate Compensation by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      I'd take that deal...
      Also, define "lifetime" and what is the absolute daily maximum for rum consumption.

      Depends on how strong your liver is.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    3. Re:Pirate Compensation by networkBoy · · Score: 1

      I don't drink :p strictly thinking of the black market resale value....

      --
      whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
    4. Re:Pirate Compensation by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      The more rum you drink, the shorter a lifetime is.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  14. Movie Pirate Compensation? by avandesande · · Score: 1

    I think Johnny Depp got way more than 17K.

    --
    love is just extroverted narcissism
  15. Re:Need a change of leadership by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I don't condone the whole anti-Jew argument, but frankly this line of argument is a bit specious. The president of MPAA is just a figurehead, and does the bidding of the member organizations and their executives. If you examine that constituency you'll find an overwhelming majority of Jewish folks.

  16. Adam Sandler? by dirk · · Score: 4, Funny

    The reason he deserves that much (and maybe more) is because his reputation is totally ruined. People now believe he actually wanted to watch The Cobbler with Adam Sandler and there is no coming back from that.

    --

    "Information wants to be expensive" - Stewart Brand, the same guy who said "Information wants to be free"
  17. Please don't feed the trolls. by mmell · · Score: 1

    (N/T)

  18. Re:without any factual evidence and in criminal ca by rahvin112 · · Score: 1

    No. Don't be a fucking moron.

    If you are prosecuted for a crime and found innocent the government doesn't pay your legal fees, ever. There is no cause of action in a criminal trial for compensation for costs by the defendant. These types of damages are only awarded in civil cases.

  19. I'd be counter-suing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If I was accused of downloading a crap movie like that, I'd be going for libel/slander - it's a shit movie, and I'd be angry at being accused of wasting bandwidth on it.

    I'd be suing for the couple of hours of lost time I'll never get back, and emotional harm of having to sit through it.

  20. Re:without any factual evidence and in criminal ca by tlhIngan · · Score: 2

    If you are prosecuted for a crime and found innocent the government doesn't pay your legal fees, ever. There is no cause of action in a criminal trial for compensation for costs by the defendant. These types of damages are only awarded in civil cases.

    You have to bring a separate civil suit against the government for compensation. It's the whole criminal vs. civil trial thing - a criminal trial is one the state brings to you with you being free (not guilty) or jailed (guilty). A civil trial outcome is usually just monetary to make whole.

    As we believe jailing an innocent is very bad, that's why a criminal trial standard is "beyond a reasonable doubt" whereas a civil trial is either "preponderance of evidence" or "reasonable belief" (basically who made the more convincing argument)

    But it's perfectly fine to bring a civil trial to get damages caused by a criminal trial. It's how OJ Simpson was both guilty and not-guilty.

  21. What else floats in water? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    a turd

  22. Falsely Accused by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Come on folks, if he's not guilty of anything then the headline is even worse than your usual crap!

  23. In other words by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

    The "I have an open WiFi router, therefore anybody in my neighborhood could have downloaded that content" defense really does stand up in court? I'm still not clear why downloading is actionable as copyright infringement, it's only uploading that constitutes distribution of copyrighted material without a license. Anybody downloading could just say they thought the person distributing the content for free had a license to do so!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    1. Re:In other words by dbIII · · Score: 1

      The "I have an open WiFi router, therefore anybody in my neighborhood could have downloaded that content" defense really does stand up in court?

      It should, especially in petty and vexatious copyright disputes with things pretending to be legal documents distributed via spambots.

  24. Make the punishment fit the crime by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

    Force those that sued him to watch the movie. 17,000 times!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  25. Re:without any factual evidence and in criminal ca by rahvin112 · · Score: 2

    You are conflating two separate issues. No defendant in a criminal trial can sue the government for compensation for actions taken as part of the prosecution even if they are found not guilty by the jury. There are extremely limited situations under which you can legally sue the government and damages from a criminal prosecution are not one of them. Even in cases of gross negligence. You can sue if you were incarcerated for a long period and found innocent but only for lost wages and only in the states that have allowed that (not all have), the Fed's don't allow compensation in such cases.

    The OJ Simpson case did not involve OJ suing anyone for his prosecution, OJ was sued by his victims relatives in civil court even though he was found not guilty in a criminal trial. This is a totally different thing than a defendant suing the government for prosecuting them as the OP stated.