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Lucasfilm Ltd & Ors v Ainsworth & Anor [2008] EWHC 1878 (Ch)
31 July 2008
A case about “Star Wars” which received much media coverage. Mr Ainsworth, who had made some of the original props for the first Star Wars film, including the Imperial Stormtrooper helmets and armour, commenced selling life sized replicas. Lucasfilm sued for copyright infringement in the USA and the UK. The UK proceedings raised a number of important legal issues including whether such 3 dimensional articles are protected by copyright as sculptures, whether a claim can be brought in the UK for infringement in the USA of US copyright, and the circumstances in which a US judgement can be enforced in the UK against a UK resident/company which sells to US customers through the internet but has no presence otherwise in the USA. Michael Bloch QC, leading Alan Bryson represented Lucasfilm in the 17 day High Court trial before Mr Justice Mann. Both sides have appealed.