Topics in Brief

• Author: International Law Group
• Pages: 137-140

Page 137

Japanese court rules against American company's film rights

On July 11, the Tokyo District Court reportedly handed down a ruling on a request by Paramount Home Entertainment (Japan) Ltd. for an injunction against one of several Japanese companies to prevent the sales-at bargain-basement prices- of DVD versions of classic movies such as "Roman Holiday." Paramount of the U.S. had originally released the titles in 1953. The legal issue centered on whether, after a fi fty-year period of protection, the movies had entered the public domain in 2003. According to the Kyoto News, the Court held that the copyrights to the movies at issue had already expired. When asked by the media, Japanese court oficials declined to comment on the grounds that it was a "nonpublic" case.

Citation: FindLaw based on Associated Press reports, Tokyo, Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at 17:12Z.

British bankers to be surrendered for trial in Texas

On July 8, 2006, U. K. Attorney-General (AG) Lord Goldsmith declined to grant a Conservative Party's request to intervene in the extradition of three former NatWest bankers for trial on Enron-linked fraud charges in Houston, Texas. The AG explained that investigations had begun in the U.S. where the alleged conspiracy had taken place and where the alleged co-conspirators were located. He further pointed out that the alleged fraud could not have occurred without the connivance of Enron executives in the U.S. The AG was unpersuaded that the U.S. was misusing a treaty designed to combat terrorism.

Citation: washingtonpost.com via Reuters; London, Saturday, July 8, 2006 at 6:53 a.m. (byline of Tim Castle of Reuter's staff).

Foreign claimants must now pay fees in Russian courts out of own pockets

For many foreign plaintiffs, recent changes in the application of Chapter 25.3 of the Russian Federation Tax Code will increase the dificulty of fi ling civil actions in the Russian courts. Under Article 126 of the RF Arbitration Procedural Code and Article 132 of the RF Civil Procedural Code, a plaintiffhas to prove the payment of a State Duty at the time of fi ling suit. Until early 2006, the courts have been allowing Russian attorneys representing foreign claimants to take care of this payment by producing the attorney's own bank statement as...