Lindsay Lohan’s lawsuit vs Rockstar Games for using her likeness in GTA V will be pushing forward, thanks to a new ruling by the presiding judge.
New York Supreme Court judge Joan Kennedy has denied Rockstar’s attempt to dismiss the lawsuit. Judge Kennedy states that the evidence Rockstar has provided to prove the lawsuit is baseless is not sufficient grounds on its own for dismissal. The judge has to review all facts and evidence in court before making a determination. Judge Kennedy also denied the argument that Lindsay took too long before filing the lawsuit. You can read Judge Kennedy’s ruling in full here.
Lohan first let slip that she intended to sue Rockstar Games for using her likeness in GTA V‘s cover image in 2013. A year later, she replaced her court submission with a 67 page document. This not only detailed the use of her likeness in the game cover and promotional materials, but also pointed out Rockstar made references to aspects of her career and life, including her career rise following Mean Girls, and her residence in a West Hollywood hotel.
Take-Two Interactive’s response argued that the New York privacy law against likeness misappropriation does not apply to works of art. They also demanded sanctions for making a baseless accusation, claiming she filed the suit without good-faith and for the sake of raising publicity. This lawsuit and its outcome may now set precedents for video game companies using likenesses and parodies of celebrities or famous personalities.
What do you make of the GTA V lawsuit now? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
