Elliot McGucken sues Anna's Cleaning Service, alleging on information and belief that its website displayed his photograph

The complaint

Elliot McGucken v. Anna's Cleaning Service Inc., No. 2:26-cv-13137 (C.D. Cal.), is an 11-page complaint filed November 10, 2026, ECF No. 1, with a jury demand. The complaint describes McGucken as an individual residing in Los Angeles County, California. The complaint alleges, on information and belief, that Anna's Cleaning Service Inc. is a California corporation that owns and operates the website annascleaningservice.com and does business in the district. It also names Does 1-10. It pleads jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1338(a) and (b) and venue under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1391(c) and 1400(a). (Compl. caption; paras. 1 to 7.)

The work

The complaint describes McGucken as a landscape photographer and shows a single photograph, which it calls the Subject Photograph, that it alleges he created and owns. It alleges the photograph is the subject of Registration No. VA0002236801, with an effective registration date of November 25, 2020, and that McGucken published it on his website and elsewhere with credit and copyright management information identifying him. The Copyright Office public record for VA0002236801 shows a group registration of 745 published photographs, registered November 25, 2020, with Elliot McGucken as author and claimant and a publication date range of May 8, 2019 to May 11, 2019. (Compl. paras. 8 to 13.)

What the complaint alleges

The complaint alleges, on information and belief, that the defendants willfully copied, reproduced, displayed, and distributed the photograph for commercial benefit on annascleaningservice.com, and it lists two URLs: a page whose address refers to the best places to see the California superbloom, and an image file on the same site. It alleges McGucken sent the defendants a cease and desist letter on or around July 23, 2026, and that they did not meaningfully respond. (Compl. paras. 14 to 16.)

The counts and relief

The first claim alleges copyright infringement and the second alleges vicarious copyright infringement, both against all defendants. The second claim alleges, on information and belief, that third parties such as web developers, marketing agents, advertising vendors, or other contractors, including the Doe defendants, directly infringed, and that Anna's had the right and ability to supervise the conduct and received a direct financial benefit because the use promoted its cleaning services. Each claim includes a willfulness allegation made on information and belief and an allegation that the defendants are subject to statutory damages of up to $150,000 per infringement under Section 504(c)(2) of the Copyright Act. The prayer seeks an injunction, including removal of the photograph; profits, losses, and other monetary advantage or statutory damages under 17 U.S.C. § 504; a constructive trust over revenues from the infringement; attorneys' fees under 17 U.S.C. § 505; costs and fees; statutory damages and/or penalties; pre-judgment interest; and other relief. (Compl. paras. 17 to 29; prayer.)