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JKR updates site with lawsuit news 
NOVEMBER 9, 2007 at 3:59 PM
Posted by GERI
Source: JKRowling.com
Author J.K. Rowling has updated her site with the current
status of her recently filed lawsuit against the Lexicon and RDR Books.
Lexicon Continued
As you may have read, on 8 November, 2007 a judge in New York granted an order against RDR Books in respect to the proposed book The Harry Potter Lexicon, such order applying to any proposed licensing of the book worldwide.
Judge Patterson has imposed a restraining order on the publishers of the Lexicon, which will remain in place until February 2008. This means that the book can not be completed, published or marketed until the court has had time to decide whether it would break the law if published in its present form.
I take no pleasure in the fact that publication has been prevented for the present. On the contrary, I feel massively disappointed that this matter had to come to court at all. Despite repeated requests, the publishers have refused to even countenance making any changes to the book to ensure that it does not infringe my rights.
Unless their position changes, we will all return to court next year. Given my past good relations with the Lexicon fansite, I can only feel sad and disillusioned that this is where we have ended up.
Warner Bros. is expected to release a statement later today.
You can read additional information on TLC.
Thanks to Neil for the news.
Reader Comments (53)
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Witch
Points: 937
crazywitch says:
This is just a really sad thing to be happening. I don't know what to think.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 4:12 PM EST
Mrs. Draco Malfoy
Points: 25982
Arika Granger Malfoy says:
Yup...that must stink becase she enjoys the site so much and she said she had to use it sometimes to remember random stuff....haha
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 4:50 PM EST
Witch
Points: 534
~AlyPotter~ says:
This si such a horrible thing that is occuring. However, I do agree with her and anyone in her position would have done the same. It just sucks that she was in such good relations with the Lexicon before, and now their relationship has deteriorated due to this mishap. However, I am behind Jo 100 percent and hope this issue gets resolved soon in her favor.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 5:01 PM EST
Antipodean Snow Goddess
Points: 2937
Tikihaha says:
Despite repeated requests, the publishers have refused to even countenance making any changes to the book to ensure that it does not infringe my rights.
For all those people who say that JK Rowling is a money-grubbing tyrant trying to stop the publication of a "better" encyclopedia, can you just sit and THINK?!!
Harry Potter is HER universe - not a product of the Lexicon's website. Yes, they have gone to much effort to produce a very detailed website, but ultimately they have now crossed the line in terms of an author's copyright and "reasonable use" arguments.
AND they want to make money of HER creation, whereas JK Rowling was going to donate 100% of profits to charity.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 5:20 PM EST
Witch
Points: 789
Khay says:
Awww this isnt good, i hope everything gets fixed soon :(
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 5:20 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2121
Nataly says:
I am so happy she still continue to write and update her website! Great job
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 5:21 PM EST
Squib
Points: 154
Pansetta_Parkinson says:
Tikihaha , JK shouldn't have to explain why she don't want the book published, like you said, its HER world, HER books, HER creations, they had no buisness trying to rip her off and make money off of her. They just wanted money.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 5:32 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1092
Ravenclaw Tower Dude says:
I'm an avid fan of the lexicon, but I won't pretend that their plans to publish a book please me.
I support JKR.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 5:33 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2762
H/HrShipper4Ever says:
Thats so sad. Why did it have to come down to this?
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 6:31 PM EST
Keeper of Harry's Fate
Points: 8283
TheOneWhoMustBeNamed says:
Sad to see this happen. But she is the owner of the entire Harry Potter universe and is the only one that can protect it. I am sure she is truly sad.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 6:41 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1608
~Harry's true love~ says:
I bet she can't wait till it's all over. court is such a pain.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 6:48 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 543
Canis Diris says:
Seems kind of sad to keep tabs on the story. I mean I don't want to hear about this kind of stuff coming from anything Harry Potter (pauses to think about the Potter stories), actually the books are much more sadder than this.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 6:52 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2480
Jbird says:
It's so sad that it has gotten this far! I can't believe that the lexicon is being so foolish! I can understand what they are trying to do, but by doing that they are not just posting for all to see for free, they're printing and gaining monies off of Jo hard work. It's just sad.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 7:01 PM EST
Witch
Points: 614
Harry_Hermoine_Fanz says:
Jo did the right thing about the lawsuit, and I support her!
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 7:27 PM EST
Keeper of Keys/Kneazles
(Moderator)
Points: 4211
Sir_J_Wallis_E says:
Even though I found that the Lexicon was a good resource for answering member's questions, I always thought it was a bit odd, how they claimed ownership for every thing that appeared on it. Even though they copied from other sites, the they wouldn't let others copy anything on their's. If you tried to highlight and copy any thing on there, it wouldn't let you and you would get a copyright warning pop-up. I always wondered why, as the other HP Fan sites would let you copy things. I thought that maybe they had some kind of arrangement with JKR, because of it. However in light of what is happening now, I realize that the are just greedy and trying to make money off of other people's work.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 7:31 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2101
phoenix_feathers says:
Wow... just wow. I'm really disgusted... Jo deserves much more respect.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 7:52 PM EST
Sirius's Veil Thrower
Points: 4482
SiriusBlacksGodDaughter says:
Yup...that must stink becase she enjoys the site so much and she said she had to use it sometimes to remember random stuff
I agree! This is such a terrible thing to see.
~Drish~
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 8:06 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2446
Fat Lady Sings says:
At the end of the day, JK owns the intellectual and creative rights to all things Harry Potter, as it should be. He's her baby.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 8:17 PM EST
Witch
Points: 536
MWbashfulAR says:
The guy from Lexicon ought to know that all he is doing is trying to wrongfully capitalize on the series knowing now that there is a big surge of interest in a proposed encyclopedia from Rowling. The dunce doesn't realize that we don't care about reading facts from the books, we just want her background on the characters that have NOT been presented yet!!!
I can't believe the publishers nor the courts have extended this whole situation this far. They ought to know that they infringe upon the copyright and shouldn't be allowed to go further.
Shameful.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 8:19 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2107
Happy Pancakes says:
No one should try and get money out of what JK Rowling has made and created. I just think they should back down and accept they can't make something out of Harry Potter. I like Lexicon's site.. but they have gone too far
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 9:46 PM EST
Auror
Points: 4021
RON's all up in heRmiONe says:
The Harry Potter Lexicon really made trouble for themselves. They should just stop pubication of their book, and let the AUTHOR OF THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS write her encyclopedia, the only Harry Potter encyclopedia that shoud be out there, from HER OWN IDEAS. I don't get what they're trying to do. They're trying to make money off of someone else's ideas and keep it for themselves. JK Rowling said she was going to write an encyclopdia, she didn't say right after the last HP book, and she didn't say she wasn't going to write one. What are they thinking? Do they think they have the right to make an encyclopedia with all of her ideas, without her consent just because she isn't writing one right now?
I seriously don't get this at all. Harry Potter Lexicon is(are) the money grabbing tyrants that wanna bilk JK Rowing and her charities out of millions of dollars!! Hopefully this will all get settled, the book won't be published and the Harry Potter fandom world will be back to normal, like it was before all of this happened.
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 10:52 PM EST
Witch
Points: 770
nixx says:
Sir_J_Wallis_E says:
Even though I found that the Lexicon was a good resource for answering member's questions, I always thought it was a bit odd, how they claimed ownership for every thing that appeared on it. Even though they copied from other sites, the they wouldn't let others copy anything on their's. If you tried to highlight and copy any thing on there, it wouldn't let you and you would get a copyright warning pop-up. I always wondered why, as the other HP Fan sites would let you copy things. I thought that maybe they had some kind of arrangement with JKR, because of it. However in light of what is happening now, I realize that the are just greedy and trying to make money off of other people's work.
you and me both .. although i did copy things all the time .. its not the Lexicons to claim copyright! .. Highlight > Edit > Copy .. hehe .. always thought something funny was up with the "owner" of the site (which is ALL he owns) .. Pssst! you dont own the whole flaming universe!!!!
Posted Nov 9, 2007 at 10:53 PM EST
Friendly Deaf Angel
Points: 3994
Yolis says:
I dont get it, is that website, trying to write books about Harry Potter, I am confuese...But in another part, it sucks that they wont get along????????? I am still confuse someone expalain to me please...
Posted Nov 10, 2007 at 12:26 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2312
SlytherinStarGazer says:
It is just awful that a supposed "fan" site would do this to JKR...I really hope they don't allow the book to be published, cause she has worked very hard and put so much time and energy into her characters and the Harry Potter world, that it shouldn't be allowed to be stolen like this...
Posted Nov 10, 2007 at 12:30 AM EST
Auror
Points: 3192
HufflepuffActress says:
I like Sir_J_Wallis_E found it odd that you could not copy text. I wondered how they managed to get a copyright all about the work of a author.
I use they lexicon when I am trying to remember something specific about the HP universe.
Posted Nov 10, 2007 at 12:35 AM EST
Witch
Points: 564
accio_kim says:
I wouldn't read their lousy encyclopedia anyway! Even if they did publish it, what true fan would buy it after all of this bad press?
If it's not written by JK, I don't want it!
Posted Nov 10, 2007 at 1:22 AM EST
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