Tyler Perry Movie Credits Don’t Infringe Trademark, Judge Finds

Tyler Perry’s recording of a play starring Marva King doesn’t infringe her trademarks by featuring her name in the credits, a federal judge ruled.

Citing King’s name in the recording of Perry’s play “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” qualified as fair use because it wasn’t possible to credit King without using her name, the opinion filed June 24 in the US District Court for the Central District of California said. The credit didn’t suggest her “sponsorship or endorsement” of the film, according to the ruling.

King entered into a performance agreement for the play with Arthur Primus, an executive ...