PHILADELPHIA – A textbook manufacturer is being sued by a photographer over a claim of copyright infringement.
Michael Keller filed a lawsuit April 13 in the U.S. District for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against McGraw-Hill Global Education Holdings L.L.C. and McGraw-Hill School Education Holding, L.L.C., alleging copyright infringement.
According to the claim, Keller is the owner of copyrights to photographs that were originally licensed for limited use by McGraw-Hill but that are now being used by the company without his authorization.
According to the claim, Keller entered into a series of contractual agreements with a stock-photo licensing agency between 1988 and 2001. The agreements authorized the agency to issue limited licenses for use of Keller’s images by third parties, in exchange for reasonable license fees.
Between 1990 and 2010, the agency sold McGraw-Hill limited licenses to use copies of Keller’s photographs in numerous educational publication. According to the claim, McGraw-Hilll exceeded the licenses and infringed on Keller’s copyrights.
Keller, who is demanding a jury trial, is seeking compensation for damages, attorney fees, costs and an injunction to halt unauthorized use of his photos. He is being represented by attorney Maurice Harmon of Harmon & Seidman, L.L.C. in New Hope, Pa.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Court Case number 2:16-cv-01778-JHS