Philpot v. Contemporary Media, Inc.

Background information

Larry Philpot is a freelance concert photographer who photographed musician REO Speedwagon and made these photographs available under a Creative Commons License. Philpot alleged that Contemporary Media Inc. infringed his copyright by publishing, copying, and displaying the photographs on their website www.memphismagazine.com without proper attribution to Philpot and his website. Philpot sought actual damages, interest, reasonable attorney’s fees, and statutory damages.


Case summary

This case was filed in May 2020, and in the same month there was a notice to comply with plan for alternative dispute resolution filed by all parties. After multiple filings and conferences, Philpot accepted the offer of judgment on 09/15/2020, and on the same date the judge signed a permanent injunction and judgment.


Attribution Photograph