Manno v. TENNESSEE PRODUCTION CENTER, INC.

657 F. Supp. 2d 425, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83043, 2009 WL 2059897
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedSeptember 11, 2009
Docket07 Civ. 10360(BSJ)
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 657 F. Supp. 2d 425 (Manno v. TENNESSEE PRODUCTION CENTER, INC.) 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
Manno v. TENNESSEE PRODUCTION CENTER, INC., 657 F. Supp. 2d 425, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83043, 2009 WL 2059897 (S.D.N.Y. 2009).

Opinion

Order

BARBARA S. JONES, District Judge.

On July 16, 2009, Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein issued a Report and Recommendation recommending that Plaintiff Karen Manno (“Plaintiff’ or “Manno”) be awarded judgment against the Defendant in the amount of $52,273.94. On July 29, 2009, this Court received a letter-request from counsel for Plaintiff asking that the time to file objections to the Report and Recommendation be extended from July 30, 2009 to August 28, 2009. The Court granted Plaintiffs request. To date, however, the Court has received no objections to the Report and Recommendation from either Plaintiff or Defendant. Accordingly, finding no clear error on the face of the record, the Court adopts Magistrate Judge Gorenstein’s Report and Recommendation in its entirety. See Nelson v. Smith, 618 F.Supp. 1186, 1189 (S.D.N.Y.1985). The Clerk of the Court is directed to enter judgment against Defendant in the amount of $52,273.94 and to close this case.

SO ORDERED.

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

GABRIEL W. GORENSTEIN, United States Magistrate Judge.

Plaintiff Karen Manno (“Manno”) brings this action seeking damages for copyright *428 infringement against Tennessee Production Center, Inc. (“Tennessee Production”). Manno alleges that Tennessee Production violated the Copyright Act through the unauthorized sale of karaoke recordings that included her composition. Because Tennessee Production failed to answer the complaint in this case, the only remaining issues relate to damages. For the reasons that follow, Manno should be awarded $52,273.94 in statutory damages, costs, and attorney’s fees.

I. BACKGROUND

A. Procedural History

On November 15, 2007, Manno filed this suit seeking damages for copyright infringement against Tennessee Production, which does business as “Chartbuster Karaoke.” See Complaint, filed Nov. 15, 2007 (Docket # 1) (“Comph”). When Tennessee Production failed to answer, Manno moved for entry of default. See Notice of Motion, filed Mar. 13, 2008 (Docket # 5); Plaintiffs Memorandum of Law in Support of Her Motion for Entry of a Default, filed Mar. 13, 2008 (Docket # 7); Affidavit in Support of Plaintiffs Motion for Entry of a Default, filed Mar. 13, 2008 (Docket # 8). After the entry of default was granted, see Order Granting Entry of Default, filed Apr. 1, 2008 (Docket # 9), Manno moved for a default judgment, see Notice of Motion, filed May 30, 2008 (Docket # 10); Affidavit in Support of Plaintiffs Motion for Judgment By Default, filed May 30, 2008 (Docket # 11); Plaintiffs Memorandum of Law in Support of Her Motion for an Order Granting a Judgment By Default Against Defendant Tennessee Production Center, Inc., filed May 30, 2008 (Docket # 12). The motion for a default judgment was granted by means of a document labeled “Order and Default Judgment.” See Order and Default Judgment, filed Sept. 19, 2008 (Docket # 14). That Order contained provisions ordering injunctive relief against Tennessee Production but referred the issue of damages to the undersigned. Id.

The Court thereafter issued an Order setting forth the procedure to be used by Manno to fix the monetary portion of her default judgment. See Scheduling Order for Damages Inquest, filed Sept. 29, 2008 (Docket # 15) (“Scheduling Order”), at 1-2. The Order required Manno to make certain submissions supporting her request for damages against Tennessee Production. See id. The Order also gave Tennessee Production 30 days to respond. See id. at 2. The Order further notified all parties that, absent a request from either side that the Court hold a hearing, the Court would conduct any inquest regarding damages based solely upon the parties’ written submissions. Id.

Manno made submissions in accordance with this Order — and in accordance with a later Order requiring further briefing on the issue of attorney’s fees. See Order, filed June 1, 2009 (Docket #21). 1 Tennessee Production submitted opposition papers opposing Manno’s request for statutory damages and contending that it is entitled to a jury trial. 2

*429 B. Facts

In light of Tennessee Production’s default, Manno’s properly-pleaded allegations, except those relating to damages, are accepted as true. See, e.g., Cotton v. Slone, 4 F.3d 176, 181 (2d Cir.1993). Thus, the following statement of facts is taken largely from the complaint.

Manno co-authored, with non-party Gary Allan, a musical composition titled “The One.” Compl. ¶ 7. Manno co-owns with Allan the rights to the lyrics and music of this song. Id. ¶ 8; see also Certificate of Registration (annexed as Ex. 1 to Compl.). 3

Tennessee Production manufactures and distributes karaoke packages through retail, mail order, and internet sales. Compl. ¶ 10. Such packages typically include compact discs that contain graphics, known in the industry as “CD + G’s.” Stovall Aff. ¶ 4. These discs include non-original recordings of the words and music of famous songs, as well as song versions with music but no vocals. Compl. ¶ 11. Additionally, the discs can produce a visual image of the lyrics — sometimes alone and sometimes with graphics — that are synchronized to be shown on a screen in time with the music. Id. The purpose of the karaoke package is to enable buyers to sing in time with the music. Id. ¶ 10.

Tennessee Production has released several unauthorized recordings that contain Manno’s composition “The One.” Id. ¶¶ 12-13. According to Tennessee Production’s records, the composition appeared in six separate CD + G’s totaling sales of 5,028 units. Casteel Aff. ¶ 5.

II. DISCUSSION

A. Law Governing Damages in Copyright Cases

Under the Copyright Act, a party may obtain either actual damages and profits or, if the party elects, statutory damages. See 17 U.S.C. § 504(a). Statutory damages are available in an amount of at least $750 per infringing work up to a maximum of $30,000 per infringing work. See id. § 504(c)(1). In addition, a court may award an enhanced recovery of up to $150,000 per infringing work if the infringement was willful. Id. § 504(c)(2). “Within these parameters, courts have broad discretion in setting an amount of statutory damages that effectuates the ‘dual purposes of the Copyright Act — compensation of copyright owners and deterrence of potential infringers.’ ”

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657 F. Supp. 2d 425, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83043, 2009 WL 2059897, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/manno-v-tennessee-production-center-inc-nysd-2009.