Insurers Refute Defense Obligations in Sports Memorabilia IP Claims

On January 29, 2015, insurers West Bend Mutual Insurance Co. and Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Co., told a Wisconsin federal court that they are not liable to defend sports memorabilia retailers, Waukesha Sportscards and AW Artworks LLC, in a copyright suit alleging that the retailers sold merchandise featuring unlicensed photographs. The insurers argued that their policies cover copyright in advertisement claims but do not extend to the copyright infringement issues addressed in the action.

The infringement suit against the retailers was initially filed back in June …

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