Klingon Can't Be Evidence of Copyright Infringement, LCS Says
The Klingon language is in the public domain and can't be protected under copyright law and thus can't be used as evidence of copyright violation by makers of a so-called Star Trek fan film, the Language Creation Society (LCS) said…
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Thursday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles in an application (in Pacer) for leave to file an amicus brief. LCS -- a nonprofit that promotes constructed languages such as Esperanto and Klingon -- said its brief isn't in support of any party but narrowly supports the defendants' opposition to Paramount Pictures and CBS Studios' motion for summary judgment (see 1611250021) for the limited issue of a Paramount/CBS claim of Klingon language copyright. LCS also said its previous motion to file an amicus brief in the suit was dismissed without prejudice, but it's renewing its request since the issue "is ripe for summary judgment." No court has ever ruled on the issue of copyrighting a language, and the Klingon issue in the "fan film" suit hasn't received sufficient briefing, LCS said. In a separate pretrial conference order (in Pacer) filed Thursday by Paramount/CBS and defendant Axanar Productions, they said the trial is expected to start Jan. 31 and last 10 days.