Indiana Intellectual Property Law News
A recent lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana centers on allegations of copyright infringement involving a photograph of barbecued pork ribs. The plaintiff, Rockefeller Photos, LLC, a media company based in Florida, accuses Lighthouse Custom Meats LLC, a meat processing business in Bloomfield, Indiana, of using a copyrighted photograph without permission.
According to the complaint, the photo in question—entitled “PorkRib001_ADL, 07-05-1999”—was created by a professional photographer for a company called Prepared Food Photos, which is represented by Rockefeller Photos. This image was registered with the U.S. Copyright Office in 2017 and assigned Registration Number VA-2-046-789. Rockefeller Photos claims it was granted exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and take legal action over any unauthorized use of the image.
The complaint states that Lighthouse Custom Meats used the copyrighted photo on its Facebook page on two separate occasions in May 2023 to promote its business. The plaintiff alleges the image was likely found online and used without obtaining a license or seeking permission.
Rockefeller Photos asserts that Lighthouse’s actions were willful and demonstrate a disregard for copyright protections, pointing out that the defendant includes its own copyright disclaimer on its website. The lawsuit argues that such behavior indicates the company understands the legal significance of copyright.
The plaintiff is seeking damages, legal fees, and a permanent injunction to prevent Lighthouse Custom Meats from using the photo again or infringing on any other copyrighted materials held by Rockefeller Photos.
The case has been assigned to Judge James Patrick Hanlon and Magistrate Judge Tim A. Baker in the U.S. District Court of Southern Indiana Case No. 1:25-cv-01310.