Why Amy Schumer Is Being Sued for $300,000 for Posting Photos of Herself

Amy Schumer is facing a legal dispute over photos she allegedly posted on Instagram of her and her son.

By Samantha Schnurr Apr 09, 2020 7:41 PMTags
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Amy Schumer has been sued. 

In court documents filed on Tuesday in New York and obtained by E! News, the world-famous actress was accused of copyright infringement by a New York photographer. The lawsuit stems from photos allegedly taken, owned and copyrighted by photographer Felipe Ramales that he says Schumer allegedly posted on her Instagram account without licensing them and without permission or consent to publish. 

The two pictures in question are of Schumer pushing her son, Gene, in a stroller in New York in November 2019. In the photos, the actress is sporting a "Plus Size Brain" sweatshirt, which is for sale on her website's store. 

In addition to Schumer, the star's company, Claudette LLC is also named as a defendant. "Defendants ran the Photographs on the Website to sell and promote their clothing," the documents read.  

photos
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"Defendants infringed Plaintiff's copyright in the Photographs by reproducing and publicly displaying the Photographs on the Website. Defendants are not, and have never been, licensed or otherwise authorized to reproduce, publically [sic] display, distribute and/or use the Photographs," the lawsuit further alleges. 

Ramales is seeking a trial by jury, monetary damages and legal fees among other relief. 

"As a direct and proximate cause of the infringement by the Defendants of Plaintiff's copyright and exclusive rights under copyright, Plaintiff is entitled to damages and Defendants profits pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 504(b) for the infringement," the lawsuit reads. "Alternatively, Plaintiff is entitled to statutory damages up to $150,000 per work infringed for Defendants willful infringement of the Photographs, pursuant to 17 U.S.C.
§ 504(c)."

"This is a classic example of celebrities using their social media to generate revenue without paying the photographer any license to use their photo," Ramales' attorney Richard Liebowitz said. "Photographers need to stick up for their rights and make sure they get paid for their work."

E! News has has reached out to Schumer's team for comment.