The complaint

Galatea Jewelry Corporation v. Hoang Doan DBA Ecks Jewelry, an individual; and Ecks Jewelry, Inc., No. 2:26-cv-09889 (C.D. Cal.), is a 48-page complaint with exhibits, filed September 3, 2026, ECF No. 1, with a jury demand.

The designs

Galatea Jewelry, a California corporation based in San Dimas, alleges that its principal designed the jewelry and assigned the copyrights to the company. The complaint lists fifteen registrations: VA 2-343-023 (Octopus), VA 2-343-020 (Octopus 2), and VA 2-343-022 (Pearl egg), dated February 28, 2023; VA 2-241-434 (mortality skull) and VA 2-241-437 (Lion Ring), dated March 9, 2021; VAu 1-002-027 (Two in One Heart), dated October 2, 2009; VAu 1-010-959 (Two of One Heart), dated January 8, 2010; and eight registrations dated June 8, 2026, for Whale with Pearl, Piggy Pearl, parrot with pearl, Hummingbird pearl with a long tail, king frog, Bird of paradise jewelry, Gold-fish, and Frog with pearl.

What it alleges

The complaint alleges that Hoang Doan worked for Galatea Jewelry from about 2013 through July 17, 2018 and had access to its inventory, samples, CAD files, and unpublished design files, and, on information and belief, that Doan also served as CFO of Ecks Jewelry, Inc., which it describes as a dissolved California corporation. It alleges that Galatea is informed and believes that Doan, individually and through Ecks Jewelry, makes and sells jewelry throughout the United States, and that the defendants copied, reproduced, and republished the designs without authorization. The single claim pleads copyright infringement under 17 U.S.C. § 501, alleges willfulness, and alleges on information and belief that the defendants contributed to and could control infringement by others.

Galatea seeks a permanent injunction with a written compliance report, statutory damages, actual damages, enhanced damages for willful infringement, attorneys' fees under 17 U.S.C. § 505, costs, and interest.

On the docket

A proof of service was filed on October 1, 2026. On October 23, 2026, the docket shows a filing to extend the time to answer.