Jury awards Mattel Bratz payout

A Californian court has awarded Mattel a multi-million dollar payout following a copyright dispute with MGA Entertainment over Bratz dolls.

According to Mattel, MGA and its chief executive, Isaac Larian, were told to pay a total of $90m in claims related to Mattel’s employment of a designer who developed the Bratz concept. The jury also ordered MGA, Larian and subsidiary MGA Hong Kong to pay $10m for copyright infringement.
Shortly after Mattel made the announcement MGA released is own statement that said the figure of $100m was incorrect. ‘The jury awarded $20m to Mattel in damages,’ read the statement.

The judge will now consider the total damages that MGA and Larian will pay to Mattel.

The amount falls far short of the $1.8bn that Mattel’s lawyers had asked for, according to reports.

“We have an obligation to defend ourselves against competitors who choose to engage in fraudulent activities against us.

Robert Eckert, chairman and chief executive officer of Mattel

Robert Eckert, chairman and chief executive officer of Mattel, said: ‘We have an obligation to defend ourselves against competitors who choose to engage in fraudulent activities against us. We’re pleased that the jury agreed with Mattel that what MGA did was wrong and that damages were awarded.’

Mattel’s counsel, John Quinn, added: ‘After carefully weighing nearly three months of testimony and evidence, the jury arrived at a unanimous and undeniable conclusion that MGA engaged in illegal business practices.’

‘We are pleased to have this trial behind us,’ said Isaac Larian, chief executive of MGA.