HCMP is pleased to announce that yesterday the Ninth Circuit affirmed a judgment by Judge Robart in favor of Chara Curtis, Cynthia Aldrich and Alfred Currier, authors and illustrators of children’s books. The three sued the publisher of their inspirational children’s books Fun Is a Feeling, How Far to Heaven? and All I See Is Part of Me, when the publisher stopped paying royalties but continued publishing the books, even following several demands to cease and a termination of their publishing contracts.

Curtis enlisted the pro bono assistance of HCMP attorneys Amit Ranade, Alex Wu, Kurt Kruckeberg, Andy Murphy, and Abbey DeWeese, who ultimately won their breach of contract and copyright infringement lawsuit against the publisher, and who have now won on appeal. The court determined that the publisher’s willful copyright infringement weighed in favor of “a hefty award” and granted Curtis, Aldrich and Currier $150,000 in statutory damages.