Appeals Court Upholds Verdict Clearing Apple of Copyright Infringement for 'Servant'

Copyright Infringement Claim Dismissed

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has upheld a verdict that cleared Apple of copyright infringement allegations concerning its Apple TV+ series 'Servant'. Italian-born director Francesca Gregorini had sued Apple and M. Night Shyamalan, claiming 'Servant' copied the plot from her 2013 film 'The Truth About Emanuel'.

Background of the Lawsuit

'Servant', a psychological thriller, premiered on Apple TV+ and ran for four seasons. Gregorini filed her lawsuit shortly after the series debuted, seeking up to $81 million in damages. In January of last year, a jury unanimously ruled in favor of Apple and Shyamalan, concluding that the creators of 'Servant' did not have access to Gregorini's film prior to developing the series.

Appeals Court Review

Gregorini appealed the jury's verdict, challenging two aspects of the trial. She argued that the jury should have received more detailed instructions regarding what constitutes 'widespread dissemination' of a film within the entertainment industry. Additionally, she contested the trial judge's decision to accept the verdict without first answering a juror's question seeking clarification on the term 'widespread dissemination'.

Ninth Circuit's Decision

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected both of Gregorini's arguments. The court found that the jury instructions accurately reflected the applicable law and that the trial judge was not obligated to provide a more detailed definition of 'widely disseminated'. It also ruled that the judge did not abuse her discretion by accepting the unanimous verdict without further addressing the jurors' question.