Cookbook Author Sues the Seinfelds for Copyright Infringement and Defamation

An Author Sues the Seinfelds, for a Cookbook and for Barbs – New York Times

Missy Chase Lapine, the author of “The Sneaky Chef,” a cookbook whose recipes camouflage puréed vegetables and fruits in comfort food for children, sued Jessica and Jerry Seinfeld on Monday, charging copyright infringement and defamation.

In the lawsuit, which was filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan, Ms. Lapine accuses Ms. Seinfeld of “brazen plagiarism.” Ms. Seinfeld wrote a cookbook, “Deceptively Delicious,” that also employs hidden puréed vegetables in its recipes for children. . . .  In the complaint, she also accuses Mr. Seinfeld, the comedian, of “malicious defamation” for insinuating, among other things, that she was a “wacko” in comments he made on “Late Show With David Letterman” last fall.

Lapine has complained in the past about the similarities: WSJ and NYT. A copy of the lawsuit is located here.  On Letterman, Seinfeld also called Lapine a “wacko,” “nut job,” and “hysterical.” If she can get any of the copyright proven then the defamation should be a slam dunk.

Compuware Corporation v. Moody’s Investors Services

Compuware Corp v. Moody’s Investors Services (6th Cir, Aug. 24, 2007).

ALICE M. BATCHELDER, Circuit Judge. Plaintiff-Appellant Compuware Corporation (“Compuware”) appeals the district court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of Defendant- Appellee Moody’s Investors Services Inc. (“Moody’s”) on Compuware’s claims of defamation and breach of contract. The district court found that Compuware needed to establish actual malice to succeed on both claims, and that Compuware failed to make the requisite showing of actual malice. On appeal, Compuware argues that it presented sufficient evidence of Moody’s actual malice to withstand summary judgment and that, in any event, the actual-malice standard should not apply to its breach of contract claim. After careful consideration, we AFFIRM.

Complete PDF of the opinion at Scribd.