Pausing the Game: Take-Two Seeks to Pause WWE Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive has told an Illinois federal court that it wants to pause a tattoo artist’s copyright infringement lawsuit, as a ruling on a pending summary judgment motion could decide the case.

As we reported last year, tattoo artist Catherine Alexander filed a lawsuit against Take-Two and World Wrestling Entertainment, alleging that they infringed on her copyright. Between 2003 and 2008, Alexander created several unique tattoos for WWE superstar Randy Orton. While WWE allegedly offered Alexander $450,000 for the rights to use …

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Ex-Wrestlers Argue WWE Hid Risks of Head Injuries in Concussion Lawsuit

In a Second Circuit lawsuit, a group of former professional wrestlers argued that the statute of limitations did not lapse in their lawsuit against World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), as they knew about and hid the risks of head injuries.

As we reported earlier, 67 retired wrestlers sued WWE and its CEO, Vince McMahon, arguing that WWE failed to protect the health of its wrestlers. As a result, these retired wrestlers suffered concussions, CTE, and other brain injuries. The lawsuit was dismissed in September …

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WWE Counters Wrestlers’ Appeal in Concussion Lawsuit

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and its CEO, Vince McMahon, have fought back against 67 retired wrestlers who appealed the dismissal of their concussion lawsuit.

Beginning in 2014, these former wrestlers filed lawsuits against WWE, arguing that the organization failed to protect their health, which resulted in concussions, CTE, and other brain injuries. In September 2018, the Connecticut District Court dismissed the lawsuit as many of the plaintiffs stopped wrestling before WWE was aware of the risks of head trauma. The attorney for the plaintiffs, …

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Again WWE and Take-Two Interactive Move to Dismiss Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

On October 23, 2018, World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE) and Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (Take-Two) again moved to dismiss a suit brought by Catherine Alexander, a tattoo artist for professional WWE wrestler Randy Orton. According to the WWE and Take-Two, Alexander’s “amended complaint does nothing to remedy the grave deficiencies of her prior pleading.”

As we have previously reported, in April, 2018, Alexander sued the WWE and Take-Two. Alexander claimed that several video games in the WWE 2K series illegally copied Alexander’s copyrighted tattoos …

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WWE Cleared from All Concussion-Related Lawsuits amid Plaintiff Attorney Sanctions

World Wrestling Entertainment has earned a key legal victory, with the Connecticut District Court ruling to dismiss all concussion-related claims against the entertainment giant.

Over the past several years, more than 65 of retired wrestlers have filed against WWE, alleging a lack of protection for the wrestlers’ health that lead to concussions, CTE, and other brain injuries. The former wrestlers further contended that WWE forced them into dangerous performances and covered up the effects of head trauma.

U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant …

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Attorney Sanctioned in WWE Concussion Suit

On July 22, 2018, U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant upheld sanctions against attorney Konstantine Kyros. As we have previously covered, Kyros represented former WWE wrestlers, Evan Singleton and Vito LoGrasso, in their concussion suit against WWE. The recommendation for sanctions stemmed from Kyros’ failure to adequately respond to interrogatories amid discovery. Despite being given more than one opportunity to amend his deficient responses; however, he did not.

According to the decision, on January 27, 2016, WWE served Singleton and LoGrasso with interrogatories. On …

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Former WWE Star CM Punk Prevails In Defamation Suit

On Tuesday, June 4, 2018, a jury in Cook County Illinois, found that former WWE wrestlers CM Punk (Phillip Jack Brooks) and Colt Cabana (Scott Colton) were not liable for the 2015 defamation and false light case brought by WWE ringside physician Dr. Christopher Amann. Amann argued that he was a victim of defamation per se, based on Punk’s and Cabana’s comments in 2014 on Cabana’s podcast “The Art of Wrestling”.

After abruptly retiring from the WWE in 2013, Punk went on the podcast in …

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WWE Asserts Wrestler Admitted to Attorney Solicitation in Podcast

World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE) made another move on November 6, 2017, to further its allegations that attorney Matthew Peterson solicited Marcus “Buff” Bagwell and Scott “Raven” Levy to file suit against WWE for royalties. WWE made a motion to compel phone call records and information that was allegedly improperly redacted from the phone records previously given to WWE in discovery.

WWE focused on an interview Bagwell had last year on the podcast “Pancakes and Powerslams” where he stated he would not have sued WWE …

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Ex-Wrestlers Try Again at WWE Head Trauma Suit

On November 3, 2017, former World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE) wrestlers filed an amended complaint for their concussion suit against WWE. The amended complaint is in response to a Connecticut federal judge allowing the wrestlers last month to file more succinct pleadings, despite stating she was more inclined to side with WWE. The case goes back to 2015 when WWE faced several lawsuits that alleged WWE concealed long-term health risks of repeated blows to the head and increased that danger by misleading injured wrestlers into …

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WWE Alleges Attorney Improperly Solicited Wrestlers in Royalty Suit

On October 27, 2017, World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE) accused attorney Matthew Peterson of soliciting former wrestlers to join a royalty suit against WWE. WWE requested the court compel Peterson to provide documents and testimony that were previously denied under claims of privilege and improper instructions not to answer questions during the deposition. Specifically, WWE seeks a March 2016 email from Peterson to plaintiff Scott “Raven” Levy, and the same plaintiff to testify about a meeting with co-plaintiff Marcus “Buff” Bagwell.

The lawsuits filed by …

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