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Publishers Win Substantial Judgment, Attorneys Fees, For Illegal Sale of Instructional Materials Defendant Violated Copyright, Trademark Laws, Sold Electronic Copies of Instructors Solutions Manuals NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2007—Three leading college textbook publishers, Pearson Education, Cengage Learning and John Wiley & Sons, have won a $213,000 judgment in damages against Yustianto Tjiptowidjojo, Atlanta, Ga., who was engaged in the sale of counterfeit electronic copies of instructors solutions manuals. The court also awarded the publishers $115,000 in attorneys fees and costs. While Tjiptowidjojo's liability for copyright and trademark infringement had earlier been determined by the Court as a matter of law, a jury trial was necessary to determine whether Tjiptowidjojo's infringement was willful, thereby expanding the range of money damages that could be imposed upon him. Tjiptowidjojo’s infringing conduct was in fact willful, and consequently found him liable for an award of increased damages to the publishers. The publishers’ complaint, filed in U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York, alleged that Tjiptowidjojo, while working at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, obtained copies of instructor solutions manuals, reproduced the manuals, and sold them through online sales under the user names “vernamoral,” “micheladolfol” and “godfrey_of_ibelin.” When Tjiptowidjojo repeatedly refused to stop the illegal activity, the publishers sued to halt the sales and seek damages. “Individuals and businesses must recognize that disregarding the copyright and trademark laws and improperly selling instructors solutions manuals cheats the authors and publishers of their intellectual property rights,” said William Dunnegan, counsel representing all of the publishers in this suit. “As this conduct infringes the publishers’ copyrights and trademarks, we will continue to aggressively pursue legal action against those who willfully infringe upon those rights.”
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