Broadcast Music, Inc. and several other music publishers have filed a lawsuit against an Illinois-based establishment for copyright infringement. The complaint was lodged by Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on October 31, 2024, targeting Boondocks Food & Spirits Inc., along with its officers Martha Black, Charles Black, and Beau Beguin.
The plaintiffs allege that Boondocks Food & Spirits has been performing copyrighted musical compositions without obtaining the necessary licenses from BMI. This case revolves around the unauthorized public performance of songs from BMI's extensive repertoire of 22.4 million copyrighted musical works. According to the complaint, BMI has made over fifty attempts since November 2023 to inform the defendants about their legal obligations under the Copyright Act and to secure a licensing agreement for these performances. Despite receiving multiple cease-and-desist notices, Boondocks Food & Spirits continued to play these songs without permission.
The plaintiffs include major players in the music publishing industry such as Sony/ATV Songs LLC d/b/a Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music, Galeneye Music, Brew Music Company, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Eleksylum Music, Inc., and No Surrender Music. They are collectively pursuing claims of willful copyright infringement against Boondocks Food & Spirits and its management team.
The lawsuit outlines three specific instances of alleged copyright infringement where songs were performed at Boondocks' establishment without proper authorization. The plaintiffs argue that these actions have caused them significant financial harm and threaten ongoing irreparable damage if not halted by court intervention.
In their filing, the plaintiffs are seeking several forms of relief from the court. They request an injunction to prevent further unauthorized performances of BMI-licensed music at Boondocks Food & Spirits. Additionally, they seek statutory damages as outlined under U.S.C Section 504(c), reimbursement for legal costs including attorney fees per U.S.C Section 505, and any other relief deemed just by the court.
Representing the plaintiffs is Emily E. Bennett from Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC based in Chicago. The case is presided over by judges within the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 1:24-cv-11239.