California Civil Code

§ 3344.1

CIV § 3344.1 Effective Jan 1, 2025Div. 4 · Title 2 · Part 1 · Ch. 2 · Art. 3

Statute text

(a)(1) (A) Subject to subparagraph (B), a person who uses a deceased personality’s name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness, in any manner, on or in products, merchandise, or goods, or for purposes of advertising or selling, or soliciting purchases of, products, merchandise, goods, or services, without prior consent from the person or persons specified in subdivision (c), shall be liable for any damages sustained by the person or persons injured as a result thereof. In addition, in any action brought under this section, the person who violated the section shall be liable to the injured party or parties in an amount equal to the greater of seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) or the actual damages suffered by the injured party or parties, as a result of the unauthorized use, and any profits from the unauthorized use that are attributable to the use and are not taken into account in computing the actual damages. In establishing these profits, the injured party or parties shall be required to present proof only of the gross revenue attributable to the use, and the person who violated the section shall prove the person’s deductible expenses. Punitive damages may also be awarded to the injured party or parties. The prevailing party or parties in any action under this section shall also be entitled to attorney’s fees and costs.

(B)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), a play, book, magazine, newspaper, musical composition, audiovisual work, radio or television program, single and original work of art, work of political or newsworthy value, or an advertisement or commercial announcement for any of these works, shall not be considered a product, article of merchandise, good, or service if it is fictional or nonfictional entertainment, or a dramatic, literary, or musical work.

(ii)If a work described in clause (i) includes within it a use in connection with a product, article of merchandise, good, or service, this use shall not be exempt under this subparagraph, notwithstanding the unprotected use’s inclusion in a work otherwise exempt under this subparagraph, if the claimant proves that this use is so directly connected with a product, article of merchandise, good, or service as to constitute an act of advertising, selling, or soliciting purchases of that product, article of merchandise, good, or service by the deceased personality without prior consent from the person or persons specified in subdivision (c).

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Legislative history

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 258, Sec. 2. (AB 1836) Effective January 1, 2025.