Paul Andrew Mitchell

c/o P.O. Box 370

Sunset Beach 90742

CALIFORNIA, USA

 

tel:  (562) 592-9047

fax:  (562) 592-4917

 

In Propria Persona

 

All Rights Reserved

without Prejudice

 

 

 

United States Court of Appeals

 

Ninth Circuit

 

 

Paul Andrew Mitchell,          ) Appeal No. 02-15269

                               )

          Plaintiff/Appellant, ) MOTION FOR ORDER

                               ) ENJOINING FURTHER INACTION

     v.                        ) BY THE REGISTER OF COPYRIGHTS:

                               )

AOL Time Warner, Inc. et al.,  ) FRAP Rule 8(a)(1)(C), 8(a)(2);

                               ) FREv Rule 201(d)

          Defendants/Appellees.)

_______________________________)

                               )

Register of Copyrights,        )

                               )

          Respondent.          )

_______________________________)

COMES NOW Paul Andrew Mitchell, Appellant in the above entitled case, to move this honorable Court, pursuant to Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure (“FRAP”), for an ORDER enjoining the Register of Copyrights from further inaction in the matter of Appellant’s application for copyright registration, and for a routine stay of the Briefing Schedule, and to provide Notice to all interested party(s) of same.

Appellant hereby states that:

(i)           moving the district court is now entirely impractical, because this Court of Appeals has jurisdiction;  and,

(ii)      the district court failed to correct the Magistrate Judge’s plain errors with respect to Appellant’s application for copyright registration, even after Appellant moved the district court for reconsideration.

 

REASONS FOR GRANTING RELIEF REQUESTED

On July 17, 2001 A.D., Appellant applied for registration of His exclusive copyright in the subject book by transmitting to the Register of Copyrights a completed Application Form TX, two (2) copies of the best edition, and the registration fee of $30.00.

Subsequently, Appellant received from the Copyright Office a completed PS Form 3811 (“green card”) confirming that the Copyright Office did receive the completed application on July 23, 2001 A.D.  (See Attachment “A”.)

Ever since this latter date, however, the Copyright Office has failed to confirm registration, and it has also failed to refuse registration.

Appellant appears to be in “legal limbo” as a result of inaction by the Register of Copyrights.

On August 1, 2001 A.D., Appellant filed the instant action in the District Court of the United States (“DCUS”), Eastern Judicial District of California, in Sacramento, California.

COUNT ONE in Appellant’s Initial COMPLAINT alleges copyright infringements by all 129 named Defendants.

On or about September 10, 2001 A.D., Appellant filed in the DCUS His NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION, BY AFFIDAVIT.  (See Attachment “B”.)

On December 31, 2001 A.D., without jurisdiction and without the consent of any parties, a U.S. Magistrate Judge filed an ORDER [sic] AND FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, later adopted in full by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb.  (See Attachment “C”.)

Those FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS committed a plain error by concluding, “Because plaintiff has not registered his copyright, the first cause of action must be dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.”  (See Attachment “D”, pages 6 thru 8.)

Appellant then moved the DCUS to strike those FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (see Attachment “E”, Pages 12 of 42 thru 17 of 42), and also requested reconsideration of Judge Shubb’s ORDER adopting same in full (see Attachment “F”, Page 11 of 22, lines 13-16).

In error, Judge Shubb denied Appellant’s motions to strike and for reconsideration.  (See Attachment “G”.)

On February 14, 2002 A.D., Appellant wrote a letter to the Copyright Office, requesting confirmation whether or not registration has been refused.  (See Attachment “H”.)  On March 5, 2002 A.D., Appellant mailed a second copy of that letter to the Copyright Office.

Appellant now believes that the Copyright Office abused its discretion by failing to register Appellant’s copyright, and also by failing to refuse registration.

The legal “limbo” caused by the Register’s abuse of discretion has resulted in prejudice to Appellant.

 

APPLICABLE CASE LAW

Appellant argues that the facts and law in this instance are relatively simple and straightforward.  The statute at 17 U.S.C. 411(a) allows an infringement suit even if registration is refused:

 

As is evident, a party may now sue for infringement notwithstanding the refusal of the Register to register the claim to copyright.  The only precondition is that notice [of the action] be served on the Register.

 

[Nova Stylings, Inc. v. Ladd]

[695 F.2d 1179 (9th Cir. 1983)]

[bold emphasis added]

Because the Register of Copyrights has not formally refused Appellant’s application for copyright registration, Appellant did not feel obliged to serve formal Notice of the instant lawsuit on the Register of Copyrights.

See also 17 U.S.C. 408(a);  Washingtonian Publishing Co. v. Pearson, 306 U.S. 30 (1939) (mere delay in depositing copies will not destroy right to sue);  Apple Barrel Productions, Inc. v. Beard, 730 F.2d 384 (5th Cir. 1984) (proof of application, plus payment of fee and deposit of work are sufficient to give plaintiff standing to sue for copyright infringement).

 

REQUEST FOR MANDATORY JUDICIAL NOTICE

Pursuant to Rule 201(d) of the Federal Rules of Evidence (“FREv”), Appellant respectfully requests mandatory judicial notice by this honorable Court of Attachments “A” thru “H” infra, which are hereby incorporated by reference, as if set forth fully herein.

 

REMEDY REQUESTED

Pursuant to FRAP Rule 8(a)(2), Appellant respectfully requests a routine ORDER from this honorable Court, or from one of its judges, enjoining the Register of Copyrights from any further inaction in the matter of Appellant’s Application Form TX, for a Nondramatic Literary Work.  See 17 U.S.C. 411(a).

To allow the Register of Copyrights an opportunity to respond, Appellant also requests that this Court, or one of its judges, also order a routine stay in the Briefing Schedule, pending entry of an appearance by the Register of Copyrights within sixty (60) calendar days from issuance of the injunction requested herein.

Even if the instant MOTION should ultimately be denied, a routine stay in the Briefing Schedule is recommended to ensure proper judicial review of this MOTION, and to provide Appellant an opportunity to respond appropriately to this Court’s ruling on same.

 

VERIFICATION

I, Paul Andrew Mitchell, Sui Juris, Appellant in the above entitled action, hereby verify under penalty of perjury, under the laws of the United States of America, without the “United States” (federal government), that the above statement of facts and laws is true and correct, according to the best of My current information, knowledge, and belief, so help me God, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1746(1).

 

Dated:   March 6, 2002 A.D.

 

Signed:  /s/ Paul Andrew Mitchell

         ___________________________________________

Printed: Paul Andrew Mitchell, B.A., M.S., Sui Juris

         Appellant In Propria Persona (notPro Se”)


PROOF OF SERVICE

I, Paul Andrew Mitchell, Sui Juris, hereby certify, under penalty of perjury, under the laws of the United States of America, without the “United States” (federal government), that I am at least 18 years of age, a Citizen of ONE OF the United States of America, and that I personally served the following document(s):

 

MOTION FOR ORDER ENJOINING FURTHER INACTION

BY THE REGISTER OF COPYRIGHTS:

FRAP Rule 8(a)(1)(C), 8(a)(2);  FREv 201(d)

 

by placing one true and correct copy of said document(s) in first class United States Mail, with postage prepaid and properly addressed to the following:

 

Judge Alex Kozinski                Clerk of Court (5x)

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals     Attention:  Cathy Catterson

P.O. Box 91510                     Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Pasadena 91109-1510                P.O. Box 193939

CALIFORNIA, USA                    San Francisco 94119-3939

                                   CALIFORNIA, USA

 

Ropers, Majeski, Kohn & Bentley    DeForest & Koscelnik

(failed to exhibit oaths)         (failed to exhibit oath)

1001 Marshall Street               3000 Koppers Building

Redwood City 94063                 436 Seventh Avenue

CALIFORNIA, USA                    Pittsburgh 15219

                                   PENNSYLVANIA, USA

 

Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP  Pillsbury Winthrop LLP

(failed to exhibit oaths)          (failed to exhibit oaths)

P.O. Box 1319                       400 Capitol Mall, Suite 1700

Sacramento 95812-1319               Sacramento 95814-4419

CALIFORNIA, USA                     CALIFORNIA, USA

 

Curiale Dellaverson Hirschfeld     Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver

Kraemer & Sloan, LLP               & Hedges, LLP

(oaths requested)                  (oaths requested)

727 Sansome Street                 201 Sansome Street, 6th Floor

San Francisco 94111                San Francisco 94104

CALIFORNIA, USA                    CALIFORNIA, USA

 

Office of the General Counsel      Paul Southworth

University of California           2018 N. New Hampshire Ave.

1111 Franklin Street, 8th Floor    Los Angeles 90027

Oakland 94607-5200                 CALIFORNIA, USA

CALIFORNIA, USA

 

Karl Kleinpaste                    Ram Samudrala

P.O. Box 1551                      UW Micro Box 357242

Beaver Falls 15010                 Seattle 98195-7242

PENNSYLVANIA, USA                  WASHINGTON STATE, USA

 

Laskin & Guenard                   Rivkin Radler, LLP

1810 South Street                  1330 N. Dutton Ave., #200

Sacramento 95814                   Santa Rosa 95401-4646

CALIFORNIA, USA                    CALIFORNIA, USA

 

Harvey Siskind Jacobs LLP          Office of Solicitor General

3 Embarcadero Center, Ste. 1060    950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

San Francisco 94111                Room 5614

CALIFORNIA, USA                    Washington 20530-0001

                                   DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, USA

 

Register of Copyrights             Steinhart & Falconer LLP

Library of Congress                333 Market Street, 32nd Floor

101 Independence Avenue, S.E.      San Francisco 94105-2150

Washington 20559-6000              CALIFORNIA, USA

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, USA

 

 

Dated:   March 7, 2002 A.D.

 

Signed:  /s/ Paul Andrew Mitchell

         __________________________________________________

Printed: Paul Andrew Mitchell, Appellant In Propria Persona

         (notPro Se” [sic])


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment “A”:

 

Appellant’s Completed Application Form TX

and Related Documents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment “B”:

 

Appellant’s NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION,

BY AFFIDAVIT

 

Dated:  September 10, 2001 A.D.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment “C”:

 

USDC’s ORDER Adopting FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 

Filed January 25, 2002

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment “D”:

 

Magistrate’s ORDER AND FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 

Filed December 31, 2001

 

(See pages 6 thru 8.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment “E”:

 

Appellant’s MOTION TO STRIKE ORDER AND

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF MAGISTRATE JUDGE --

PART I

 

(See Pages 12 of 42 thru 17 of 42.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment “F”:

 

Appellant’s MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION OF

USDC’S ORDER FILED IN ERROR ON JANUARY 25, 2002 A.D.

 

(See Page 11 of 22, lines 13-16.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment “G”:

 

USDC’s ORDER

 

Filed February 5, 2002

 

-and-

 

USDC’s MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

 

Filed February 22, 2002

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment “H”:

 

Appellant’s Letter to the Copyright Office

Requesting Copyright Registration Status

 

Dated:  February 14, 2002 A.D.

 

(re-mailed on March 5, 2002 A.D.)