Kat Von D Copyright Win Affirmed in Miles Davis Tattoo Suit (1)

Jan. 2, 2026, 7:12 PM UTCUpdated: Jan. 2, 2026, 7:41 PM UTC

The Ninth Circuit upheld a jury verdict that found celebrity artist Kat Von D’s tattoo made partly by tracing a photo of Miles Davis wasn’t similar enough to constitute copyright infringement.

The district court’s denial of the photographer’s motion for judgment as a matter of law was correct because he didn’t show the jury’s verdict was unreasonable, according to a per curiam opinion issued Friday by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Photographer Jeffrey Sedlik sued Katherine Von Drachenberg—known as Kat Von D—in 2021, alleging a free tattoo she inked on a friend infringed his iconic portrait ...

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