Law of the Level : Video Game Lawyer & Attorney : Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton Law Firm : Intellectual Property, Patents

On Feb. 20, 2009 the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a California law banning the sale or rental of “violent video games” to minors and requiring such games to be labeled “18” (the legal age for adults). While this decision may surprise some California lawmakers and parents, its holding is fully consistent with substantial U.S. Supreme Court precedent entitling minors to a signifi cant measure of First Amendment protection, and leaving parents with the duty to supervise “appropriate” content.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Activision licensed the Gibson trademark and trade dress in November 2006 in connection with Guitar Hero's "custom guitar controller peripheral." Activision paid a one-time fixed license fee to cover the term of the license and Gibson agreed to help promote the Guitar Hero product.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

The law governing U.S. software patents sometimes shifts like the ground here in California – a point illustrated by the recent decision of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) in Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Ltd. v. International Game Technology, 521  F.3d  1328,  1333 (Fed. Cir. 2008).

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks