First Circuit Finds Infringement in TV Sitcom

Logro'o had been approached in 1997 by TMTV's predecessor-in-interest to co-host a new variety show, De Noche con Iris y Sunshine, for broadcast in Puerto Rico. The actor then met with scriptwriters Roberto Jim'nez and Miguel Morales. Jim'nez raised the idea of creating a sitcom segment, which became “Pisos de Historia” about condominium residents. Logro'o asked Jim'nez and Morales to write the first several episodes. In 1999, Logro'o left the TV show to star in another program, El Condominio, made by his company Mass Productions and broadcast by a Televicentro affiliate. TMTV responded by suing Logro'o and Mass Productions for infringement. The U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico granted summary judgment to TMTV. (TMTV sued Televicentro separately, settling through payment of $700,000 of Televicentro's profits to TMTV.)

Logro'o claimed authorship of the early TMTV episodes scripts, but affirming summary judgment the Third Circuit noted: “Logro'o's claim to have substantially rewritten the [Jim'nez and Morales] scripts is refuted by comparing the originals and the final product. As for Logro'o's supposed outlining of the plots, he has pointed to no writing ' neither any written outline by him nor any notes taken by anyone at the original meeting ' that reflects anything like an outline of the scripts. At best, Logro'o's version would mean that he suggested some general ideas for plots and possible stock characters for the initial scripts.”