LAS VEGAS, NV—Gay adult production company Corbin Fisher has announced that a federal court has awarded it a $63,000 default judgment against Quynn Alan Phillips, for illegally sharing two of the studio's scenes online through the use of torrent protocols. This judgment comes on the heels of a number of victories by the studio against torrent file sharers. The judge in the case ordered Phillips liable for $30,000 per file shared, as well as a permanent injunction against future theft of content.
Marc J. Randazza, Corbin Fisher's general counsel, said the judgment was significant because it makes it clear that the courts assign a value to adult films beyond what some defendants have claimed.
"We have had a number of defendants and defense attorneys in our cases argue that courts will only award us $750, the statutory minimum, in torrent cases,” said Randazza. “Mr. Phillips now knows that this position is without merit—and it should send a message to the defendants in our other torrent cases—Corbin Fisher material is valuable, and courts will see fit to impose reasonable judgments against intellectual property thieves."
The judgment also makes it clear that simply ignoring a lawsuit will not make it go away. Phillips, who goes by the screen name "qalanalt" on a number of torrent sites, was served with the claim and made fully aware of it. In fact, he sent a document to the court complaining about the suit, but once the court allowed the case to move forward, he did not bother to continue participating.
"We can, and will, continue to press forward to collect the judgment against him," said Corbin Fisher COO, Brian Dunlap. "Whether those engaged in the unauthorized distribution and reproduction of others' intellectual property like it or not, courts have regularly and consistently come down on the side of studios that are engaging in efforts to protect their content. This is our latest legal victory on this front, though it certainly will not be our last."
Corbin Fisher has remained at the forefront of anti-piracy battles over the last two years, winning numerous judgments against illegal file sharers, including notable victories which shut down tube site DudeVu and a $1.75 million dollar judgment against DVD counterfeiter, Eric Brown.
Anyone with information on copyright violations may contact the studio at [email protected].
