Ark Promotions, Inc. v. Justin.tv, Inc.

904 F. Supp. 2d 541, 2012 WL 4978079, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 149283
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. North Carolina
DecidedOctober 17, 2012
DocketNo. 3:12-cv-131-RJC-DCK
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 904 F. Supp. 2d 541 (Ark Promotions, Inc. v. Justin.tv, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ark Promotions, Inc. v. Justin.tv, Inc., 904 F. Supp. 2d 541, 2012 WL 4978079, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 149283 (W.D.N.C. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER

ROBERT J. CONRAD, JR., Chief Judge.

THIS MATTER comes before the Court on Defendants’ Partial Motion to Dismiss, (Doc. No. 16), Plaintiffs Response, (Doc. No. 20), and the Magistrate Judge’s Memorandum and Recommendation (“M & R”), (Doc. No. 22), recommending that the Motion be granted. The parties were advised that objections to the M & R were to be filed by September 17, 2012. The time for filing objections has since passed and no objections were filed by either party in this matter. For the reasons stated below, the Court GRANTS Defendants’ motion to dismiss counts one (1), two (2) and seven (7) of Plaintiffs Complaint.

I. STANDARD OF REVIEW

The Federal Magistrate Act provides that “a district court shall make a de novo determination of those portions of the report or specific proposed findings recommendations to which objection is made.” 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1); Camby v. Davis, 718 F.2d 198, 200 (4th Cir.1983). In the absence of a timely filed objection, a district court need not conduct a de novo review, but instead must “only satisfy itself that there is no clear error on the face of the record in order to accept the recommendation.” Diamond v. Colonial Life & Acc. Ins. Co., 416 F.3d 310, 315 (4th Cir.2005) (quoting Fed.R.Civ.P. 72 advisory committee’s note).

II. DISCUSSION

The Magistrate Judge issued an M & R on August 29, 2012. (Doc. No 22). Plaintiff has not filed any objection to the Magistrate Judge’s thorough examination and dismissal of certain of Plaintiffs claims. This Court finds no clear error with the Magistrate Judge’s recommendation and concludes that the findings of fact are supported by the record and the conclusions of law are consistent with and supported by relevant case law. Accordingly, this Court hereby accepts the Magistrate Judge’s M & R and adopts it as the final decision of the Court for all purposes relating to this case.

HI. CONCLUSION

IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED that:

1. The Magistrate Judge’s M & R, (Doc No. 20) is ADOPTED; and
2. Defendants’ Partial Motion to Dis- ■ miss is GRANTED.

[543]*543 MEMORANDUM AND RECOMMENDATION

DAVID C. KEESLER, United States Magistrate Judge.

THIS MATTER IS BEFORE THE COURT on “Defendants’ Joint Motion To Dismiss” (Document No. 16). This matter has been referred to the undersigned Magistrate Judge pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b), and is now ripe for disposition. Having carefully considered the motion, the record, and the applicable authority, the undersigned will respectfully recommend that the motion be granted.

I. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Ark Promotions, Inc. (“Plaintiff’ or “Ark”) filed its “Complaint” in this Court on February 27, 2012, against YouTube, LLC, YouTube, Inc. (collectively ‘YouTube”) and Justin.tv, Inc. (“Justin.tv”) (all together “Defendants”). (Document No. 1). Plaintiffs claims arise from Defendants’ alleged unauthorized reception and re-transmission of Plaintiffs copyrighted pay-per-view live broadcast of a boxing match between Evander Holyfield and Sherman Williams on January 22, 2011. Id.

On April 20, 2012, Defendants filed their Joint Motion To Dismiss” (Document No. 16) and “Memorandum Of Law In Support Of Defendants’ Joint Motion To Dismiss” (Document No. 17). On May 7, 2012, “Plaintiffs Opposition To Defendants’ Joint Motion To Dismiss” (Document No. 20) was filed. Defendants’ “Reply In Support Of Defendants’ Joint Motion To Dismiss” (Document No. 21) was timely filed on May 17, 2012. As such, the pending motion is now ripe for review, and for a recommendation for-disposition to the presiding district judge.

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

A motion to dismiss pursuant to Fed. R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) tests the “legal sufficiency of the complaint” but “does not resolve contests surrounding the facts, the merits of a claim, or the applicability of defenses.” Republican Party of N.C. v. Martin, 980 F.2d 943, 952 (4th Cir.1992); Eastern Shore Markets, Inc v. J.D. Assoc. Ltd. Partnership, 213 F.3d 175, 180 (4th Cir.2000). A complaint attacked by a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss will survive if it contains “enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 1960, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009), quoting Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007); see also, Robinson v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., 551 F.3d 218, 222 (4th Cir.2009). “A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Iqbal, 129 S.Ct. at 1949. “Threadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice.” Id. ■

The Supreme Court has also opined that

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a)(2) requires only “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Specific facts are not necessary; the statement need only “ ‘give the defendant fair notice of what the ... claim is and the grounds upon which it rests.’ ” In addition,, when ruling on a defendant’s motion to dismiss, a judge must accept as true all of the factual allegations contained in the complaint.

Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 93-94, 127 S.Ct. 2197, 167 L.Ed.2d 1081 (2007) (citations omitted).

[544]*544“Although for the purposes of this motion to dismiss we must take all the factual allegations in the complaint as true, we are not bound to accept as true a legal conclusion couched as a factual 2 allegation.” Papasan v. Allain, 478 U.S. 265, 286, 106 S.Ct. 2982, 92 L.Ed.2d 209 (1986). The court “should view the complaint in the light most favorable to the plaintiff.” Mylan Labs., Inc. v. Matkari, 7 F.3d 1130, 1134 (4th Cir.1993).

III. DISCUSSION

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904 F. Supp. 2d 541, 2012 WL 4978079, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 149283, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ark-promotions-inc-v-justintv-inc-ncwd-2012.