Unauthorized use of photo by University of Houston

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/UH-can-sue-but-can-avoid-getting-sued-10189553.php?cmpid=gsa-chron-result


In the Houston Chronicle today, October 25, 2016, Business Section, there is an article by L. M. Sixel about Jim Olive's lawsuit against the University of Houston for its unauthorized use of one if his images. The photo is of Houston's Skyline. The University removed the credit to Jim Olive when it used the image.

Jim Olive has sued the university for $16,000 for frequent use of his image and for $25,000 for stripping off the credit. The University is claiming that it cannot be sued under sovereign immunity as it is a public institution.  

Recently the University of Houston has sued another school, Houston College of Law, formerly South Texas College of Law, over the use of "Houston" in its name.   And the University of Houston has an office to license its logo and technology developed by the university. 

More details are in the full article at the link above. I hope non subscribers to the Chronicle can see the full article.I have it as a word doc and can send it to you if needed.

Joe Smith

Best of luck to him as I hope he wins. Curious what it means "The University removed the credit to Jim Olive when it used the image."?  Did someone actually photoshop out his watermark? It will also be interested to know how much his lawyer fees end up being at the very end of this case


p.s. Joe isn't kind of wrong to be offering up a newspaper article to non-subscribers about a copyright infringing case?

This shows the whole article without signing up:

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/UH-can-sue-but-can-avoid-getting-sued-10189553.php#photo-11609859

The University is probably right that it can't be sued as it is protected under sovereign immunity:

http://www.photoattorney.com/suing-the-government-for-copyright-infringement/

The photographer probably needed to sue the individuals responsible for the infringement.  

(fyi -- providing links to webpages aren't copyright infringement in the US).

Carolyn