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As we discussed on this blog some time ago, an artist’s freedom of expression may trump an individual’s right to privacy. This issue has again reached the courts and this principle has been reaffirmed.

Defendant Arne Svenson surreptitiously photographed the residents of a neighboring building through its glass facade. After a year of this conduct, Svenson exhibited these photos in a gallery, including photos of private scenes, bragging that the subjects did not know they were being photographed. Plaintiffs objected, especially because some of the children that were photographed were identifiable. Svenson agreed to remove one of the photos, but not all of them. As time went on and these photos became public knowledge, plaintiffs sued Svenson, alleging invasion of privacy, among other claims. Svenson defended himself by claiming that the photographs were protected by the First Amendment. The lower court agreed, finding that the photographs were not just a business but a form of art. The family appealed.

The First Department traced the statutory background to the right to privacy law. The court noted that the broad language of the statute prohibited the use of one’s ‘”name, portrait, picture or voice'” in advertising or trade. The Court explained that the term “advertising or trade” was drafted specifically to avoid running afoul of the First Amendment, which protects news or issues impacting the public. Those exceptions, wrote the court, are also extended to items protected under the First Amendment, including artistic expression. The only practical limitations are found where a photo that was not newsworthy was sold under the guise of something newsworthy or of importance to the public, or where the relationship between the expression and the subject of the image bore no reasonable connection.

A deli rented space from 137 Broadway Associates, located at 3379 Broadway. Prior to renting that space, the deli rented from Cromwell Associates, located at 3381 Broadway. The deli had purchased an insurance policy, which included the landlord as an additional insured. Mistakenly, although the deli was now renting from 137 Broadway, Cromwell was listed as the additional insured and not 137 Broadway. After being sued for a patron’s fall, who named both the deli and 137 Broadway, the carrier refused to defend 137 Broadway, claiming that it was not listed as an insured party.

137 Broadway commenced a lawsuit against the carrier, seeking to compel the carrier to defend it in the lawsuit, claiming that it was the intended party to be insured. The carrier argued that the policy documents were clear and did not list 137 Broadway as an insured party. The court refused to accept that approach. After first reciting the principle that the written list of insured parties was not always exclusive as to which party was to be insured, the court determined that where the intent of the parties as to coverage is clear, mistakenly listing the wrong entity would not alone preclude coverage for the intended party. The court noted that the mistake was obvious because there was no way that Cromwell Associates could obtain any benefit by being listed as an additional insured.

137 Broadway Associates, LLC v. 602 West 137th Deli Corp.

Plaintiff, John T. Forcelli, sued for injuries incurred in an auto accident. While motions to dismiss were pending, the parties mediated the claim. Although one of the defendant’s insurance carriers discussed settlement, no agreement was reached. Shortly thereafter, settlement discussions were revived by email exchange. The carrier’s representative offered $200,000, which was later raised to $230,000. That amount was agreed to orally by Mr. Forcelli’s counsel. The carrier confirmed that amount in a subsequent email, which was signed “[t]hanks Brenda Green” (the carrier’s representative). Settlement and release papers were exchanged and signed by Mr. Forcelli. A few days later, before the defendants had signed off, the court issued a decision granting dismissal of the lawsuit. Thus, the carriers refused to sign the settlement papers or pay any amount to Mr. Forcelli.

The parties went back to the judge. The issue was whether or not the email from Brenda Greene was to be deemed an enforceable, proper, settlement agreement under the law. The judge found that it was.

The carriers appealed but the Second Department affirmed. That court recited the requirements for finding an enforceable agreement–a written agreement signed by the party or his counsel, which includes all of the material terms of the agreement. The email contained the settlement amount and Mr. Forcelli’s agreement to settle, the relevant terms. The fact that not all of the defendants or their counsel had signed off was not a bar, as Ms. Greene had apparent authority to bind all of the defendants. Recognizing that an email is not formally signed, the Second Department allowed this emails as they were clear to show the parties’ intent to settle. That Ms. Greene wrote out her name at the end of the email was further proof of affirmative consent (differentiating from an auto-signature at the end of an email).

A recent decision by a New Jersey appellate court has held that one sending a text to someone that is known or should be known to be driving, and in some way encourages a response to that message, may be liable for injuries sustained in a resulting accident. That said, the applicability of this rule seems rather limited.

In this case, Kyle Best hit and injured two bikers. During the resulting litigation, it became obvious that he was exchanging texts with Shannon Colonna immediately before the accident. Upon learning that, the plaintiffs included Colonna in the lawsuit. Colonna moved for dismissal arguing that she owed no duty to the plaintiffs and was in no way involved in the accident.

The court was clearly sympathetic to the plaintiffs, not surprising given the serious injuries, but refused to hold Colonna liable. However, the court did find that “a person sending text messages has a duty not to text someone who is driving if the texter knows, or has special reason to know, [that] the recipient will view the text while driving.” The court explained that because “Colonna did not have a special relationship with Best by which she could control his conduct [… n]or is there evidence that she actively encouraged him to text her while he was driving,” Colonna could not be found liable for Best’s accident. The court added that despite what Colonna might have known, and “[e]ven if a reasonable inference can be drawn that she sent messages requiring responses, the act of sending such messages, by itself, is not active encouragement that the recipient read the text and respond immediately, that is, while driving and in violation of the law.” Explaining that culpable conduct by the texter would involve something beyond sending the text, the court found that “[p]laintiffs produced no evidence tending to show that Colonna urged Best to read and respond to her text while he was driving.”

This case presents an interesting discussion of copyright law, but not only based on a court decision, but on a disgruntled ex-client’s claim against his lawyer.

Bernard Gelb and his company hired an attorney, Norman Kaplan, to file a class action lawsuit. After that lawsuit was dismissed, Gelb and Kaplan filed an appeal on behalf of the class members. Before that appeal was decided Gelb and Kaplan parted ways. However, the other members of the class kept Kaplan as counsel. Gelb withdrew from the appeal (he initially tried to withdraw the entire appeal, which he was not allowed to do, so he withdrew his participation in that appeal). Thereafter, Gelb, claiming that he had a role in drafting the initial court papers, filed for copyright protection of those court papers. After the appellate court reversed the dismissal and reinstated the case, Kaplan proceeded with the case on behalf of the remaining class, using and amending the initial court papers that had been filed before dismissal was ordered.

Gelb sued Kaplan claiming that Kaplan’s continued use of the initial court papers, including the complaint, infringed on Gelb’s copyright. Kaplan’s motion to dismiss Gelb’s claims was granted and Gelb appealed.

On appeal, the Second Circuit, after noting Gelb’s “sharp litigation practices,” upheld the dismissal of Gelb’s claims. The court agreed with the lower court’s reasoning and explained further that when Gelb directed Kaplan to file the complaint, Gelb issued to Kaplan an irrevocable implied license to use those papers in the lawsuit, without limitation. Key to that finding was the court’s discussion that when a copyright holder allows another to use a document in a litigation, he knows or should know that the document may be necessary throughout the legal proceeding–even by a different attorney. The court also highlighted its concern that allowing Gelb to proceed on his claim would preclude a court from doing its business. A court could not adjudicate a case if it had to compete with the copyright considerations of the papers before it. Allowing this claim could also encourage attorneys to hold a case or client hostage by claiming ownership of a document. In sum, the court held:
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