It appears to be like like one other man named Harris is hitting the jackpot. Similar to the lottery.
That is what occurred. Clifford “TI” Harris and Tameka “Tiny” Harris have scored a significant authorized victory of their lawsuit in opposition to MGA Leisure, the corporate behind the OMG dolls.
However how a lot? A federal jury in California discovered that MGA misappropriated the identify, likeness and id of OMG Girlz, the pop group co-owned by T.I., awarding the couple practically $71 million.
On the deserves of the case, the jury discovered that MGA’s seven OMG dolls infringed upon the commerce costume and distinctive type of OMG Girlz, identified for his or her daring, vibrant appears to be like that resonate with followers. This result’s notably vital as a result of TI and Tiny beforehand misplaced a jury trial in Could 2023.
Knowledgeable of this, the jury deliberated for simply six hours over two days earlier than discovering that MGA’s infringement was “willful” and “malicious, oppressive or fraudulent”. The invention resulted in a major enhance in compensation. The preliminary $17.8 million plus $53 million in punitive damages brings the full to $70.8 million.
For TI and Tiny, who could also be grinning from ear to ear, the case represents extra than simply monetary compensation, however an effort to guard their manufacturers and defend the rights of black artists. “This isn’t solely a victory for us, however a victory for each artist whose work has been appropriated with out permission,” TI stated after the ruling.
Extra importantly, the Harrises’ authorized victory units a robust precedent in opposition to mental property theft and underscores their dedication to defending the inventive contributions of OMG Girlz and different artists within the business.
Somebody pays their legal professional a little bit greater than their contingency price. They earned it.
