Lawyer Submits Brief Partially in Klingon for Paramount Language Lawsuit • Hacker News Board

Re: Lawyer Submits Brief Partially in Klingon for Paramount Language Lawsuit

#11

Post by saizai » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 1:21 PM UTC

See also LCS press release: http://conlang.org/axanar/

Disclosure: I founded the LCS, directed our participation as amicus in this case, and am press contact for this issue. Marc Randazza wrote the awesome amicus brief (linked in OP) pro bono.

Re: Lawyer Submits Brief Partially in Klingon for Paramount Language Lawsuit

#12

Post by Tenhundfeld » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 1:22 PM UTC

andreasvc wrote: post #4

plank wrote: post #2

OK, so if Paramount loses (as I would expect), does this then mean that the lawsuit between Oracle and Google around speaking the language 'Java' gets an interesting precedent?

Isn't it a crucial feature of a precedent that it actually precedes the question to be resolved?

Or does it just require that one judgement precedes the other?

Imagine two related suits filed within weeks of each other, A & B. B, the later-filed one, gets resolved quickly, for whatever reason, maybe it has a narrower focus. It seems the lawyers and judge in A, filed-earlier but still ongoing, could look to B for precedent since it is a relevant piece of settled law.

IANAL, and I can see arguments on both sides of the issue, depending on the exact matter under discussion. But logically, it seems that the judgement is what matters most for precedent, not when the suit was filed or when the incidents happened.

It's an interesting question though. I hope a lawyer can set us straight.

Re: Lawyer Submits Brief Partially in Klingon for Paramount Language Lawsuit

#13

Post by saizai » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 1:23 PM UTC

brianwawok wrote: post #3

plank wrote: post #2

OK, so if Paramount loses (as I would expect), does this then mean that the lawsuit between Oracle and Google around speaking the language 'Java' gets an interesting precedent?

I am not sure APIs being subject to copyright and pretend languages being subject to copyright are really the same argument?

It's actually pretty related. Expect some articles in the near future that address this exact issue. (I can't in this context, since LCS can't take position on API issues, and I won't scoop our press contacts.)

Re: Lawyer Submits Brief Partially in Klingon for Paramount Language Lawsuit

#14

Post by chris_wot » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 1:25 PM UTC

plank wrote: post #2

OK, so if Paramount loses (as I would expect), does this then mean that the lawsuit between Oracle and Google around speaking the language 'Java' gets an interesting precedent?

I can only imagine the difficulties and challenges faced by those folks who could only ever speak in nouns.

Really, really long nouns in sentences stated very indirectly.

Re: Lawyer Submits Brief Partially in Klingon for Paramount Language Lawsuit

#15

Post by calgoo » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 1:38 PM UTC

Is this a standard layout for a legal / court document? The lack of padding, especially on the right side really bothers me while reading for some reason.

Re: Lawyer Submits Brief Partially in Klingon for Paramount Language Lawsuit

#16

Post by if_by_whisky » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 1:39 PM UTC

ITT: IANAL ad nauseum

Re: Lawyer Submits Brief Partially in Klingon for Paramount Language Lawsuit

#17

Post by saizai » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 1:40 PM UTC

chris_wot wrote: post #14

plank wrote: post #2

OK, so if Paramount loses (as I would expect), does this then mean that the lawsuit between Oracle and Google around speaking the language 'Java' gets an interesting precedent?

I can only imagine the difficulties and challenges faced by those folks who could only ever speak in nouns. Really, really long nouns in sentences stated very indirectly.

Take a look at Kēlen. It's a conlang with no verbs. Yes really. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8_9r3bwAx8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C4%93len http://kelen.conlang.org/

Re: Lawyer Submits Brief Partially in Klingon for Paramount Language Lawsuit

#18

Post by saizai » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 1:41 PM UTC

calgoo wrote: post #15

Is this a standard layout for a legal / court document? The lack of padding, especially on the right side really bothers me while reading for some reason.

Compare plaintiff and defendant briefs if you like. https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BzmetJxi-p0VZUJaQ2ZO... has all the filings.

Re: Lawyer Submits Brief Partially in Klingon for Paramount Language Lawsuit

#19

Post by throwanem » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 1:44 PM UTC

I'm not sure whether, in all the brouhaha over this lawsuit, anyone has paid much attention to the fan film around which it revolves. "Star Trek: Axanar" is currently in production for a mid-2016 release, and the short film/long trailer, "Prelude to Axanar", is a remarkable piece of work in its own right. Don't let the "fan film" label put you off, either; these are professionally produced works, with a compelling storyline and real actors (some of whom will be familiar to fans of the BSG reboot and/or Star Trek: Enterprise), and their take on the Star Trek universe should be a breath of fresh air for anyone frustrated with either Roddenberry's unrealistically optimistic perspective on humanity's future, or JJ Abrams' "lens flare all the things!" brodown.

If you're a Star Trek fan at all, you owe it to yourself to at least give Prelude to Axanar a watch: https://youtu.be/1W1_8IV8uhA

(And as an old Babylon 5 fan, I'm delighted they included a sly reference to that show in Prelude, too. See if you can catch it!)

Re: Lawyer Submits Brief Partially in Klingon for Paramount Language Lawsuit

#20

Post by saizai » Thu, Apr 28, 2016, 1:46 PM UTC

calgoo wrote: post #15

Is this a standard layout for a legal / court document? The lack of padding, especially on the right side really bothers me while reading for some reason.

Also,see C.D. CA.'s local civil rule 11 et seq for their format requirements. (FWIW, they're rather more detailed than is usual for other courts.)

http://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/documents/L...