Oprah can relax, $1 trillion lawsuit is dismissed

By Eriq Gardner

In the era of Twitter and other instant communication channels, it's amazing that a $1 trillion lawsuit against Oprah Winfrey slipped by most everyone's radar. 

Then the National Enquirer reported that a poet named Damon Lloyd Goffe had filed an audacious complaint claiming copyright infringement. Only problem was that Goffe never registered the copyright on his poems, and more than a week before many news outlets were reporting the $1 trillion lawsuit, a judge had already dismissed the complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.

Playing catch-up, news outlet WENN contacted Oprah's spokesperson, who said, "We were never served with this lawsuit, but we've been informed that the judge dismissed it."

That makes all of us.

Comments

[kthxbai]

"it's amazing that a $1 trillion lawsuit against Oprah Winfrey slipped by most everyone's radar."

Someone needs to learn some grammar.

[Copyright]

You do not need to register for a copyright under existing copyright law.

Doing so, especially prior to any infringement, makes your case stronger, but unless waived, you are granted the copyright automatically.

With that said, $1 trillion in lost revenue or potential from a poem seems... unlikely. Someone clearly believes that their poetry is far more important than anyone else.

[SMJ]

Also a dismissal for lack of subject matter jurisdiction is without prejudice, meaning the plaintiff can re-file, so long as the statute of limitations hasn't yet tolled. It looks like all this guy has to do is file an application for a copyright and then bring suit again.

[Alex]

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