BMI Sues R House of Brews for Musical Composition Copyright Infringement

 Hammond, Indiana – Copyright lawyers for Broadcast Music, Inc.of New York City have filed an infringement suit on behalf of musical artists which BMI represents. The complaint alleges Trioak, Inc. d/b/a R House of Brews of Crown Point, IN, infringed the right to publicly perform twelve songs, including works by artists such as the Everly Brothers, Hank Williams Jr., Joe Walsh, Al Green, and Johnny Cash. All of the allegedly-infringed works have been registered with the U.S. Copyright Office.

This case has been assigned to Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen and Magistrate Judge Paul Cherry in the Northern District of Indiana, and assigned case no. 2:10-cv-00380-JVB-PRC.

Practice Tip: While a copyrighted work can be played in a private setting without incurring liability, playing or “performing” a copyrighted song in a public place requires the permission of the copyright owner. ASCAP and BMI are the two largest organizations that represent musical copyright owners and license performances at public venues.Complaint – Broadcast Music v. Trioak

Further Information about the case is as follows: