Bullard v. MRA Holding LLC

Georgia law governed the plaintiff's claim arising from the defendant's use of a videotape and still photo of the plaintiff for its nationally marketed and sold College Girls Gone Wild video, since the injury was suffered in Georgia where the plaintiff lived and attended school, even though the video was recorded in Florida.

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This case is before us based upon questions certified to this Court by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia1 regarding the availability and scope of an appropriation of likeness claim under Georgia law. Because we conclude that such a claim is available to the plaintiff under the facts presented here, and because we conclude that such a claim is controlled by Georgia law even where, as here, some of the activities that ultimately gave rise to the claim took place in Florida, we outline the parameters of the claim below.

The alleged facts of this case as reported by the District Court indicate the following: In the spring of 2000, fourteen-year-old Lindsay Bullard exposed her breasts to two unknown men in a parking lot in Panama City, Florida. Bullard was aware that the men were videotaping her at the time and expressed no objection to being videotaped. The two men and Bullard had no discussion about what future use the men might make of the videotape. MRA Holding LLC, hereinafter “MRA”, obtained the recording and included it in its College Girls Gone Wild video series. MRA also used a still photo of Bullard that was taken from the video clip and placed it in a prominent position on the cover of the video box for the College Girls Gone Wild video that it later marketed and sold nationwide. On that image, MRA blocked out Bullard’s breasts and superimposed an inscription, “Get Educated” in that block. The inscription arguably gave the appearance that Bullard was making this statement. MRA did not obtain Bullard’s permission to use the video footage of her in the College Girls Gone Wild video or to use her photo on the video box cover. Television and internet advertisements were aired that incorporated Bullard’s image. Bullard’s image had no commercial value before appearing on the cover of the College Girls Gone Wild video. Bullard suffered humiliation and injury to her feelings and reputation as a result of the aforementioned use of her image.

Bullard v. MRA Holding LLC

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