Rowling Battles Potter Fan In Court

HARRY POTTER author J.K. ROWLING arrived at a New York courthouse on Monday
(14Apr08) to begin her battle with a fan hoping to release an encyclopedia about the fantasy series.

Rowling claims Steven Vander Ark’s Harry Potter Lexicon is a “rip-off” and infringes on a number of her trademarks.

She has so far managed to stall the publication of the 400-page text – initially intended for release last November (07) – and hopes her latest day in court will result in it being scrapped altogether. In a declaration filed in the U.S. District Court in February (08), Rowling said she was “very frustrated that a former fan has tried to co-opt my work for financial gain.

“I feel intensely protective, firstly, of the literary world I spent so long creating, and secondly, of the fans who bought my books in such large numbers.”

Rowling has also revealed she plans to write her own Potter Encyclopedia.

Vander Ark’s publishers RDR Books insist the book would promote the sale of Rowling’s work – and accuse her of appearing to claim “a monopoly on the right to publish literary reference guides, and other nonacademic research, relating to her own fiction”.

A spokesperson adds, “This is a right no court has ever recognized. If accepted, it would dramatically extend the reach of copyright protection and eliminate an entire genre of literary supplements.”

(IG/WNWR/JC)

Responses

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  1. xtremequeen wrote: I think she’s going a bit far with this lawsuit. I can see how she would be protective of her story. But the guy isn’t trying rewrite her books or anything,

  2. Alexa wrote: I see exactly where she’s coming from. I mean she stated she was planning to make an Encyclopedia for HP and this person is publishing their own with information that could or could not be completely accurate. JKR made this world, and if I was in her shoes I’d feel the exact same way as she is. I hope she wins

  3. *Twinkle* wrote: I am totally with Jo on this one! This guy i trying to make money off of HER work! She was going to donate all the money her book would make to charity.

    I really really hope she wins. And I feel so sorry for her.. this law suit seems to be taking a lot out of her. 🙁 Poor Jo.

  4. samanthapayntr wrote: if she is going to release her own encyclopedia and give the proceeds to charity, he shouldn’t be trying to horde in on that money