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| Barbie firm wins Bratz court case | Barbie firm wins Bratz court case |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Mattel has triumphed in a copyright court case against the maker of the popular Bratz dolls, MGA Entertainment. | Mattel has triumphed in a copyright court case against the maker of the popular Bratz dolls, MGA Entertainment. |
| A California court ruled that the creator of Bratz dolls, Carter Bryant, came up with the idea while he was working for Mattel. | A California court ruled that the creator of Bratz dolls, Carter Bryant, came up with the idea while he was working for Mattel. |
| It means that Mattel could be awarded millions of dollars when the jury comes to consider damages. | It means that Mattel could be awarded millions of dollars when the jury comes to consider damages. |
| MGA Entertainment could even be stopped from selling the popular large-headed, multi-ethnic, urban fashion dolls. | MGA Entertainment could even be stopped from selling the popular large-headed, multi-ethnic, urban fashion dolls. |
| name="top"> Mattel had claimed that the name and design of Bratz dolls were based on drawings done by Carter Bryant while he was under a contract that entitled the world's biggest toymaker to his designs. | |
| Mattel shares rose 4.4% in after-hours trading. | Mattel shares rose 4.4% in after-hours trading. |
| Confidential settlement | Confidential settlement |
| MGA argued that while Mr Bryant had worked for Mattel between 1995 and April 1998 and then again from January 1999 to September 2000, the idea had come to him in the gap between his two stints. | MGA argued that while Mr Bryant had worked for Mattel between 1995 and April 1998 and then again from January 1999 to September 2000, the idea had come to him in the gap between his two stints. |
| Mr Bryant himself reached a confidential settlement with Mattel on the eve of the trial. | Mr Bryant himself reached a confidential settlement with Mattel on the eve of the trial. |
| The jury also ruled that MGA and its chief executive Isaac Larian had intentionally interfered with the contractual duties that Mr Bryant owed to Mattel as well as aiding and abetting his breach of loyalty. | The jury also ruled that MGA and its chief executive Isaac Larian had intentionally interfered with the contractual duties that Mr Bryant owed to Mattel as well as aiding and abetting his breach of loyalty. |
| Mr Larian said he was confident MGA "will prevail in the end", suggesting that there will be an appeal against the verdict. | Mr Larian said he was confident MGA "will prevail in the end", suggesting that there will be an appeal against the verdict. |
| He is expected to claim in the damages phase of the trial that the dolls themselves do not breach Mattel's copyright because they were converted from Mr Bryant's drawings by MGA's designers. | He is expected to claim in the damages phase of the trial that the dolls themselves do not breach Mattel's copyright because they were converted from Mr Bryant's drawings by MGA's designers. |
| Nonetheless, the damages awarded are expected to be hefty as Bratz dolls are estimated to be making profits of about $500m (£250m) a year. | Nonetheless, the damages awarded are expected to be hefty as Bratz dolls are estimated to be making profits of about $500m (£250m) a year. |
| US sales of Barbie dolls have been sliding since Bratz came on the market and were down 15% in 2007. name="table"> | |
Head to headBARBIE BRATZ Born 1959 2001 Height 11.5" (29.2cm) 10" (25.4cm) Boyfriend Ken Bratz Boyz include Cameron and Dylan Latest film Barbie as the Island Princess (2007) Bratz: the movie (2007) Home Three-story dreamhouse with sizzling stove and flushing toilet Bratz Mansion with dance floor that lights up Inspiration Ruth Handler saw her daughter Barbara imagining her paper dolls in grown-up rolls Carter Bryant based drawings on children he saw walking from school, Steve Madden shoe adverts and the cover of a Dixie Chicks album | |
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