Tim Laman voluntarily dismisses his photograph copyright suit against People Inc. Group over a Treehugger page

The complaint

Laman v. People Inc. Group, No. 2:26-cv-10154 (C.D. Cal.), was filed September 10, 2026 (8 pages). The plaintiff is Tim Laman, whom the complaint describes as a wildlife photographer, filmmaker, and field biologist. The defendant is People Inc. Group, formerly known as Dotdash Meredith Inc. and before that Dotdash Media Inc., a Delaware corporation based in New York. The complaint pleads one count of copyright infringement and demands a jury trial. (Compl. caption; paras. 2 to 3, 13.)

What it alleged

Laman alleged he is the author, claimant, and owner of the photograph at issue under U.S. Copyright Registration No. VA 2-302-972, effective May 23, 2022. He alleged the defendant displayed and distributed the photograph without authorization on a Treehugger.com page about environmental actions of President Richard Nixon, that it later removed the photograph, and that it did not respond to written notices sent July 23 and September 10, 2024. He asked for actual damages and the defendant's profits under 17 U.S.C. 504(b), a permanent injunction, an accounting, prejudgment interest, and costs. (Compl. paras. 4, 15 to 21, 34 to 39.)

Dismissal

Laman filed a notice of voluntary dismissal under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1) on October 20, 2026, and the report on the determination of the action to the Copyright Office was entered October 21, 2026, closing the case. Before that, a proof of service was filed and the court entered an in-chambers order on October 1, 2026. (ECF Nos. 10 to 13.)