Notice of Filing of Liebowitz Sanctions Order

Copies of this 54 page sanctions order against copyright attorney Richard Liebowitz hit the dockets of dozens of Texas federal courts this week.

SDNY Judge Jesse Furman required that his order be filed in all Liebowitz’ cases. It details Liebowitz’ filing history and attaches as an appendix a listing of 40 prior sanctions orders involving him, which it concedes is not likely exhaustive.

It requires him to pay sanctions of over $103,000, and serve the following with a copy of the order:

  • his client in the case;
  • every other client he has;
  • the court in every case he has pending;
  • the court in every case he files in the next year;

The Court will send a copy of the order to the chair of the Court’s grievance committee for its review in deciding whether to disbar Liebowitz from practicing in the SDNY.

The Court also required Liebowitz to file in every future case for a year as an exhibit to the complaint a copy of the deposit files maintained by the Copyright Office reflecting prior registration of the work.

The recent Order is certainly the most significant in the growing body of Liebowitz sanctions case law. But there’s always next week.