SoylentNews

An Anonymous Coward writes:

https://torrentfreak.com/movie-company-has-no-right-to-sue-accused-pirate-argues-171208/

"ZHANG denies downloading the movie but Defendant's current motion for summary judgment challenges a different portion of F&D's case: Defendant argues that F&D has alienated all of the relevant rights necessary to sue for infringement under the Copyright Act," Madden writes.

The filmmakers opposed the request and pointed out that they still had some rights. However, this is irrelevant according to the defense, since the distribution rights are not owned by them, but by a company that's not part of the lawsuit.

"Plaintiff claims, for example, that it still owns the right to exploit the movie on airlines and oceangoing vessels. That may or may not be true – Plaintiff has not submitted any evidence on the question – but ZHANG is not accused of showing the movie on an airplane or a cruise ship.

"He is accused of downloading it over the Internet, which is an infringement that affects only an exclusive right owned by non-party DISTRIBUTOR 2," Madden adds.

Original Submission