T.I. Harris and his wife Tameka “Tiny” Harris are heading for a 4th trial in the OMG dolls copyright case after an appeals court judge threw out their massive $71 million jury award.
Last week, U.S. District Court of Appeals Judge James V. Selna overturned the $71 million jury award in T.I. and Tiny’s battle with toy manufacturer MGA Entertainment.
In his decision, Judge Selna slashed the jury’s award of $53.6 million to just $1 for punitive damages.
He said the evidence in the case was “insufficient” to support the jury award.
The judge wrote in his 33-page decision: “This court once again agrees that this evidence is insufficient to show willfulness or intent. At best, this evidence shows that the designers saw a passing reference to the OMG Girlz and were negligent in not following up with the OMG Girlz having, themselves, been momentarily confused.”
He said that while evidence showed the MGA Entertainment designers were aware of the girl group in December 2019, the Harrises failed to show “deliberate intent” to copy their trade dress.
The judge continued that nothing in an email thread proves the doll designers “knew of the OMG Girlz trade dress or willfully made use of the knowledge.”
The judge let stand the remaining $17.9 million award for damages, and he gave T.I. and Tiny just 2 weeks to accept the award or file for a 4th jury trial.
According to The Wrap, the Hip-Hop couple rejected the judge’s decision and opted for a new trial.
T.I. and Tiny originally filed their lawsuit in 2020 in California. The first trial started in January 2023 but ended in a mistrial when jurors heard banned testimony accusing the toy company of “cultural appropriation.”
A few months later, a second jury cleared MGA Entertainment of any wrongdoing, but the verdict was overturned on appeal.
T.I. and Tiny were victorious in a third trial in which the jury awarded the couple $71 million in September 2024.
MGA Entertainment immediately appealed the verdict and the award. The Harrises did not receive any part of the award money.
