| name | complaint-for-copyright-infringement |
| title | Complaint for Copyright Infringement |
| description | Drafts a federal court complaint for copyright infringement under 17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq. Produces a Twombly/Iqbal-plausible pleading with caption, jurisdiction (28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1338(a)), venue (28 U.S.C. §§ 1391, 1400(a)), ownership allegations, infringement count, damages, and prayer. Use when initiating copyright litigation in U.S. federal court at the pleadings phase. |
| author | CaseMark |
| author_url | https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/complaint-for-copyright-infringement |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| version | 0.1.0 |
| execution_mode | open |
| jurisdiction | us |
| practice | ip |
| language | en |
| tags | ["drafting","litigation","pleading"] |
Complaint for Copyright Infringement
Drafts a litigation-ready federal complaint asserting copyright infringement under the Copyright Act, establishing jurisdiction, ownership, and infringement with Twombly/Iqbal plausibility.
Prerequisites
Gather before drafting:
- Registration — number(s), effective date(s), certificate copies; required under 17 U.S.C. § 411(a)
- Ownership chain — creation facts, work-for-hire agreement, or assignment documents
- Party details — full legal names, incorporation/citizenship states, principal places of business
- Infringement facts — specific acts, dates, URLs/locations, access evidence, similarity analysis
- Willfulness evidence (if any) — prior notice, admissions, forensic evidence
- SOL check — all acts within 3 years of discovery (17 U.S.C. § 507(b))
- Target district — local rules for caption format, exhibit labeling, page limits
Quick Start
Draft the complaint in seven sections, numbered paragraphs throughout (FRCP 10(b)):
- Caption → 2. Parties → 3. Jurisdiction & Venue → 4. Copyrighted Works → 5. Count I → 6. Prayer → 7. Jury Demand & Signature
Drafting Workflow
1. Caption
Format per target district local rules. Include:
- Court name and district
- Plaintiff v. Defendant with placeholders for Case No.
- Title: "COMPLAINT FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT"
- "JURY TRIAL DEMANDED"
2. Parties
| Party | Allege |
|---|
| Plaintiff | Legal status, citizenship/incorporation, PPB, relationship to work (author, employer, assignee) |
| Defendant | Legal status, citizenship/incorporation, PPB or residence, activities establishing personal jurisdiction |
| Online defendant | Websites/platforms; access, downloads, or distribution within district |
3. Jurisdiction & Venue
- Subject matter: Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.; federal question under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1338(a); original and exclusive jurisdiction
- Venue: 28 U.S.C. §§ 1391, 1400(a) — defendant resides in district, substantial events occurred there, or defendant subject to personal jurisdiction
4. Copyrighted Work(s)
For each work allege:
