T.I.’s courtroom win over MGA Entertainment may not hold as the toy company pushes for a fourth trial to reverse a $71 million judgment.
T.I. is facing a fresh legal hurdle as toy giant MGA Entertainment moves to overturn a $71 million judgment awarded to him and his wife, Tiny.
AllHipHop has confirmed that MGA is demanding a fourth trial in the years-long battle over doll designs allegedly lifted from their girl group OMG Girlz.
MGA filed a formal appeal challenging the April 29 jury verdict that found the company’s L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls infringed on the group’s trade dress and likeness.
The company is asking the court to either overturn the entire ruling or significantly reduce the damages.
MGA’s legal team believes the verdict was legally flawed. If that fails, they’ve requested a new trial or an order to slash the payout.
The company claims the OMG Girlz never had enforceable rights to the look T.I. and Tiny say was copied.
According to MGA, the look was not widely recognized by the public as being associated with the OMG Girlz and even if it once had recognition, the group allegedly abandoned that look years ago.
The company also argues that there’s no concrete evidence of consumer confusion between the dolls and the group.
MGA further contends that T.I. and Tiny failed to prove actual harm or misappropriation of their trade secrets. They also say the First Amendment protects their creative expression in designing the dolls.
The original lawsuit accused MGA of copying the OMG Girlz’s name, style, and image — including their hairstyles and outfits — for at least seven dolls without permission.
The legal battle has spanned four years and three trials.
The first ended in a mistrial after a dispute over jury instructions involving cultural appropriation. The second resulted in a win for MGA, but a retrial was granted due to legal errors and a Supreme Court ruling that impacted the case’s standards.
In September 2024, a third trial ended with a unanimous jury siding with T.I. and Tiny. The jury found that 13 dolls infringed on the group’s image and that two more infringed on their likeness.
The court awarded $71 million in total damages — $17.9 million in actual damages and $53.6 million in punitive damages. MGA argues the punitive portion is excessive and unjustified, claiming the company did not act with malice or fraud.
The judge has not yet ruled on MGA’s latest motions.
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