Joe Hand Promotions, Inc. v. Levin

CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJuly 12, 2019
Docket1:18-cv-09389
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Joe Hand Promotions, Inc. v. Levin, (S.D.N.Y. 2019).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

JOE HAND PROMOTIONS, INC., Plaintiff, 18-CV-9389 (JPO) -v- OPINION AND ORDER PETER LEVIN, individually and d/b/a PROFESSOR THOMS, et al., Defendants.

J. PAUL OETKEN, District Judge: Plaintiff Joe Hand Promotions, Inc. (“Joe Hand”) brings this action against Defendants Peter Levin and PMP Ventures Inc. (together, “Defendants”) under the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. § 151 et seq., and the Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq., alleging that Defendants willfully, and without authorization, intercepted and commercially displayed a sports broadcast in which Joe Hand held certain exclusive distribution and public performance rights. After Defendants failed to respond to the complaint, Joe Hand moved for default judgment. (Dkt. Nos. 23, 35.) For the reasons that follow, Joe Hand’s motion is granted. I. Background The following facts are drawn from the complaint and, by virtue of Defendants’ failure to respond to Joe Hand’s complaint, are deemed to be true. See City of New York v. Mickalis Pawn Shop, LLC, 645 F.3d 114, 137 (2d Cir. 2011). At some point prior to this litigation, Joe Hand, a Pennsylvania company, acquired certain exclusive distribution and public performance rights in the broadcast of an August 26, 2017 boxing match (the “Broadcast”). (Dkt. No. 1 (“Compl.”) ¶¶ 5–6.) To capitalize on these rights, Joe Hand entered into licensing agreements with certain commercial establishments, whereby it authorized those establishments to access the Broadcast in exchange for licensing fees. (Compl. ¶ 23.) Joe Hand also made the Broadcast available at discounted residential rates for individuals who wished to access it for noncommercial purposes. (Compl. ¶¶ 24–25.) Defendant PMP Ventures Inc. operates a commercial establishment in Manhattan that, under the supervision of Defendant Peter Levin, accessed the Broadcast without entering into a

licensing agreement with Joe Hand. (Compl. ¶¶ 8–13, 16.) Instead, Defendants intercepted the Broadcast without authorization—perhaps by paying the residential rate available only for private viewers—and then charged their patrons money to come watch it. (Compl. ¶¶ 15, 27.) On October 15, 2018, Joe Hand filed this lawsuit, which asserts three legal claims against Defendants. (See Dkt. No. 1.) First, Joe Hand claims that Defendants have willfully violated 47 U.S.C. § 605 (“Section 605”), a Communications Act provision that bars the unauthorized interception of interstate wire or radio communications, 47 U.S.C. § 605(a). (Compl. ¶¶ 21–33.) Second, Joe Hand claims that Defendants have willfully violated 47 U.S.C. § 553 (“Section 553”), another Communications Act provision, which bars the unauthorized interception of communications transmitted through a cable system, 47 U.S.C. § 553(a)(1). (Compl. ¶¶ 34–39.)

Third, Joe Hand claims that Defendants have willfully infringed its exclusive distribution and public performance rights in the Broadcast, in violation of the Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 501(a). (Compl. ¶¶ 40–49.) As a result of these alleged violations, Joe Hand seeks an award of money damages, attorney’s fees, and costs. (Compl. at 11–12.) Joe Hand effected service on Defendants Levin and PMP Ventures Inc. on November 8, 2018, and November 19, 2018, respectively (Dkt. Nos. 10–11), but Defendants never answered the complaint or otherwise appeared in this action (see Dkt. No. 12). The Clerk of Court then entered a Certificate of Default against Defendants (Dkt. No. 18), and on January 22, 2019, Joe Hand moved for default judgment (Dkt. No. 23).1 Defendants have not responded to Joe Hand’s motion, and the Court now addresses its merits. II. Legal Standard When a defendant “has failed to plead or otherwise defend” a lawsuit, that defendant is in default and is deemed, for purposes of liability, to have admitted all well-pleaded allegations in

the complaint. Belizaire v. RAV Investigative & Sec. Servs. Ltd., 61 F. Supp. 3d 336, 344 (S.D.N.Y. 2014) (quoting Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a)) (adopting report and recommendation). At that point, the plaintiff is entitled to default judgment if the complaint’s allegations “establish [the defendant’s] liability as a matter of law.” Id. (alteration in original) (quoting Finkel v. Romanowicz, 577 F.3d 79, 84 (2d Cir. 2009)). In contrast to the facts supporting liability, however, “the amount of damages” alleged in the complaint “are not deemed true” in the event of a default. Tiffany (NJ) Inc. v. Luban, 282 F. Supp. 2d 123, 124 (S.D.N.Y. 2003) (quoting Credit Lyonnais Sec. (USA) v. Alcantara, 183 F.3d 151, 152 (2d Cir. 1999)). Rather, after a court has determined that entry of default judgment against a defendant on a particular claim is appropriate, the court must “conduct an inquiry in

order to ascertain the amount of damages with reasonable certainty” by “determining the proper rule for calculating damages on such a claim, and assessing plaintiff’s evidence supporting the damages to be determined under this rule.” Id. (quoting Credit Lyonnais, 183 F.3d at 152).

1 Joe Hand re-filed its default judgment materials without explanation on June 3, 2019. (Dkt. Nos. 32–39.) To the extent that these unnecessary and belated filings differ from Joe Hand’s original submissions, the Court disregards them. III. Discussion The Court first addresses the question of Defendants’ liability under the Communications Act and the Copyright Act. After concluding that Joe Hand is entitled to the entry of default judgment against Defendants on all counts, the Court then turns to the question of remedy. A. Liability As an initial matter, the Court notes that it has subject-matter jurisdiction over this action

pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331, because all of Joe Hand’s claims “aris[e] under the . . . laws . . . of the United States.” 28 U.S.C. § 1331. And this Court may exercise personal jurisdiction over Defendants in connection with those claims because the claims arise out of Defendants’ in-state transaction of business. See, e.g., Garden City Boxing Club, Inc. v. Paquita’s Cafe, Inc., No. 06 Civ. 6953, 2007 WL 2783190, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 26, 2007) (report and recommendation) (exercising jurisdiction over a venue and its owner in connection with their allegedly unauthorized in-state exhibition of a sports broadcast), adopted, 2007 WL 2981928 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 10, 2007). The Court therefore turns next to the question of whether Joe Hand has established that it is entitled to default judgment against Defendants on the three counts raised in the complaint.2

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Joe Hand Promotions, Inc. v. Levin, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/joe-hand-promotions-inc-v-levin-nysd-2019.