Copyright Infringement Case

In 2007, J.K Rowling and Warner Bros sued RDR Books to stop the publication of a Harry Potter encyclopedia that Steven Vander Ark wrote. Rowling said "that the publication of a similar book before her own would hurt the proceeds of the official encyclopedia, which she plans to give to charity." Also that it was "wholesale theft of 17 years of my hard work". It was about a literary work. The case ended in Vander Ark being guilty. $750 for infringement of each of the seven Harry Potter books and the 2 companion books. He only had to pay the least amounts possible though "since the Lexicon has not been published and thus plaintiffs have suffered no harm beyond the fact of the infringement." Link to Article

     J.K Rowling picture              Steven Vander Ark picture