Vanquished ‘Pirates’ Lawsuit Could Return to Trouble Disney

A copyright infringement lawsuit against Disney over its “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies could hinge on the Ninth Circuit’s view of how courts should weigh the arrangement of unprotectable elements early in a case.

Creators of a pirate-themed screenplay argued Monday before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that a lower court dismissal merely filtered unprotectable elements from the allegedly infringing movie franchise without considering their protectable arrangement. The appeals court panel seemed receptive to the idea that the case against Walt Disney Co. should have at least survived a quick dismissal by the U.S. District Court ...