Harbus v. Lead Clearance Inc.

CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedMarch 1, 2022
Docket1:20-cv-01915
StatusUnknown

This text of Harbus v. Lead Clearance Inc. (Harbus v. Lead Clearance Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Harbus v. Lead Clearance Inc., (E.D.N.Y. 2022).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK --------------------------------------X RICHARD HARBUS,

Plaintiff, MEMORANDUM & ORDER 20-cv-1915 -against-

LEAD CLEARANCE INC.,

Defendant. --------------------------------------X KIYO A. MATSUMOTO, United States District Judge: Plaintiff Richard Harbus, a professional photographer, brings this action against Defendant Lead Clearance Inc. for copyright infringement under Section 501 of the Copyright Act (the “Act”), 17 U.S.C. § 501, and for removal and/or alteration of copyright management information (“CMI”) under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”), 17 U.S.C. § 1202. The complaint alleges that Defendant reproduced and published Plaintiff’s copyrighted image of lead paint chips without authorization. (ECF No. 1 (“Compl.”) ¶ 1.) Since the complaint was filed on April 27, 2020, Defendant has failed to appear, answer, or otherwise defend in this action, despite being properly served with the summons and complaint, as detailed below. On August 28, 2020, the Clerk of Court entered a certificate of default against Defendant pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 55(a). (ECF No. 11.) Plaintiff now moves for default judgment pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 55(b)(2), seeking actual damages for copyright infringement, statutory damages for removal and/or alteration of CMI, and costs. (ECF No. 18.) For the reasons set forth below, Plaintiff’s motion is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part, and Plaintiff is awarded a default judgment against Defendant in the

amount of $5,741.00. BACKGROUND I. Facts When a defendant defaults, a court must accept the plaintiff’s well-pleaded factual allegations as true and draw all reasonable inferences in the plaintiff’s favor. See Finkel v. Romanowicz, 577 F.3d 79, 84 (2d Cir. 2009); Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 2 v. Moulton Masonry & Constr., LLC, 779 F.3d 182, 188 (2d Cir. 2015). The court consequently accepts Plaintiff’s well-pleaded factual allegations as true for the purpose of reviewing the motion for default judgment.

Plaintiff Richard Harbus is a New York-based professional photographer who is “in the business of licensing his photographs to online and print media for a fee.” (Compl. ¶ 5.) As relevant here, Plaintiff took a photograph of an individual holding lead paint chips in his hands. (Id. ¶ 7; see ECF No. 1-1 (the “Photograph”).) Pursuant to a license from Plaintiff, the New York Daily News featured the Photograph in a March 15, 2012 article entitled “Lead paint still a hazard as screenings turn up lead poisoning in young children in Bronx slum buildings.” (Compl. ¶ 8; see ECF No. 1-2.) The New York Daily News article included a “gutter credit,” i.e., text immediately beneath the Photograph that identified Plaintiff as its author. (Id.) On February 13, 2018, Plaintiff registered the Photograph with the U.S. Copyright

Office. (Compl. ¶ 10; see ECF No. 19-4.) Defendant is a New York corporation with a place of business located at 1835 West 9th Street, Suite #1, Brooklyn, New York 11223. (Compl. ¶ 6.) Defendant owns and operates a website, www.LeadClearanceInc.com. (Id.) Plaintiff alleges that Defendant featured the Photograph on its website without his consent. (Id. ¶¶ 11-12.) The complaint includes a screenshot that appears to show the Photograph on Defendant’s website in connection with the advertising of lead testing and abatement services. (ECF No. 1-3 (“Screenshot”).) II. Procedural History

Plaintiff filed the instant action on April 27, 2020. (See Compl.) On April 29, 2020, Plaintiff properly served the summons and complaint on Defendant. (ECF No. 7.) In particular, Plaintiff served copies of the summons and complaint on the New York Secretary of State, as Defendant’s registered agent, pursuant to Section 306 of New York’s Business Corporation Law. See N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 311(a)(1). On August 24, 2020, Plaintiff requested a certificate of default. (ECF No. 10.) The Clerk of Court entered a certificate of default on August 28, 2020. (ECF No. 11.) On November 10, 2020, Plaintiff filed a motion for default judgment. (ECF No. 12.) On April 16, 2021, the court denied Plaintiff’s motion without prejudice for failure to serve the Defendant with notice of the motion and the supporting

submissions pursuant to Local Civil Rule 55.2(c). (4/16/2021 Minute Order.) On April 30, 2021, Plaintiff refiled his motion for default judgment and served Defendant with the motion and supporting materials pursuant to Local Civil Rule 55.2(c). (ECF Nos. 18, 23.) To date, Defendant has not appeared, answered, or otherwise responded to the complaint or the motion for default judgment. LEGAL STANDARD Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 55, a movant must complete a two-step process to obtain a default judgment. Rodriguez v. Almighty Cleaning, Inc., 784 F. Supp. 2d 114, 123

(E.D.N.Y. 2011); La Barbera v. Fed. Metal & Glass Corp., 666 F. Supp. 2d 341, 346-47 (E.D.N.Y. 2009). First, the Clerk of the Court must enter default “[w]hen a party against whom a judgment for affirmative relief is sought has failed to plead or otherwise defend, and that failure is shown by affidavit or otherwise.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a); Enron Oil Corp. v. Diakuhara, 10 F.3d 90, 95 (2d Cir. 1993). Second, upon the Clerk’s entry of default, the movant “may then make an application for entry of a default judgment, pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(b).” Rodriguez, 784 F. Supp. 2d at 123. “‘The court is to exercise sound judicial discretion’ in determining whether the entry of default judgment is appropriate.” Trs. of Local 7 Tile Indus. Welfare Fund v. City Tile, Inc., No. 10-CV-322 (SJ) (ALC), 2011 WL 917600, at *1 (E.D.N.Y. Feb. 18,

2011) (quoting Badian v. Brandaid Commc’ns Corp., No. 03-CV-2424 (DC), 2004 WL 1933573, at *2 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 30, 2004)), report and recommendation adopted, 2011 WL 864331 (E.D.N.Y. Mar. 10, 2011). Here, the Clerk of the Court entered a default against Defendant on August 28, 2020, and Plaintiff thereafter filed the unopposed motion for default judgment presently before the court. As previously mentioned, Defendant has been properly served with the summons and complaint (ECF No. 7) and with the motion for default judgment. (ECF No. 23.) Despite being provided with notice of the motion, Defendant has not appeared, moved to vacate the Clerk’s entry of default, or otherwise opposed the motion for

default judgment. Consequently, Plaintiff has completed the necessary steps to obtain a default judgment. See Bricklayers Ins. & Welfare Fund v. David & Allen Contracting, Inc., No. 05- CV-4778 (SJ) (VVP), 2007 WL 3046359, at *2 (E.D.N.Y. Oct.

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