Overview

PRIMERS
On AxaMonitor, we organize information about Axanar Productions, its film, business and lawsuit in a series of topical primers. Click the tabs above to see how we’ve packaged our articles for you, or check our FAQ for the quickest overview we offer. || On Twitter follow @AxaMonitor

Lawsuit

LAWSUIT PRIMER
Overview of the Lawsuit
Summary of CBS and Paramount's Legal Complaint
Defendants' Answer and Counterclaim || Plaintiffs' Answer to Counterclaim
Motion to Compel Discovery
Timeline of the Case

Legal Documents (Download)

You can download all the court filings in Paramount Pictures and CBS Studios v. Axanar Productions and Alec Peters. All documents are in PDF format.

Most Recent Filings

Here are the most relevant recent filings in the case:

Motion to Compel Discovery (September 29, 2016)
Plaintiffs' Answer to Defendants' Counterclaim (June 15, 2016)
Defendants' Answer and Counterclaim (May 23, 2016)
Court Order Denying Defendants' Motion to Dismiss (May 10, 2016)

Complete Repository of Case Filings

A repository of all the motions and pleadings filed in the case is on Google Drive.

Download documents from the repository »

The archive is maintained by the Language Creation Society, which has filed an amicus brief with the defense contesting the plaintiffs’ claim of copyright of the Klingon language.

Copyright

COPYRIGHT PRIMER
The Axanar lawsuit is either David vs. Goliath, or a battle over control of Star Trek, or fans trying to express their love for a treasured legend, or soulless corporate greed threatened by plucky creatives, or amateurs using intellectual property they don’t own to finance a foothold in the film industry. But undisputedly, the case rests on whether Axanar engaged in copyright infringement, an often misunderstood aspect of intellectual property law. Our backgrounders explain what’s at stake legally in this case and why.

Copyright Infringement
Fair Use Defense Against Infringement
Axanar's Knowing Infringement
Judge's Denial of Defendants' View of Copyright
Defendants' Claim of Fair Use
Defendants' Direct Financial Benefit from Copyright Infringment

About Axanar

AXANAR PRIMER
Learn about the entire Axanar enterprise, a creative endeavor and a business Alec Peters built from a humble fan film into, in his words, “a fully professional, independent Star Trek production.”
A Short History of Axanar
Axanar: The Film
The Story of Axanar's Trailer

Axanar: The Business
Axanar's Annual Report: A Pattern of Obfuscation?
What's Up With the Perks?
Twisted Path to Discover Axanar's Studio Ownership
Merchandise
The Myths About Axanar's Business

Crowdfunding

CROWDFUNDING PRIMER
These articles focus on the crowdfunding efforts by Axanar to fund its short film, Prelude to Axanar, and its feature film, Axanar.
Crowdfunding Platforms
Prelude Kickstarter Details
Axanar Kickstarter Details
Axanar Indiegogo Details
Challenges Fulfilling Perks

Analysis: These articles examine Axanar’s evolving ambitions, and how they changed over the course of its effort to raise money to produce the feature film.
Moving the Goal Posts?
Change in Character
Ambition vs. Achievement

Fan Films

FAN FILMS PRIMER
Fan Films: Breaking the Unwritten Rules and Defining Profit
CBS and Fan Films
Why Star Trek–Horizon’s Success Matters to Axanar

Guidelines for Fan Productions

With CBS and Paramount developing guidelines for fan productions, Axanar producer Alec Peters tried to rally other fan films behind his ideas.
Official Star Trek Fan Film Guidelines
CBS Official Explains Fan Film Guidelines
The Aftermath for Fan Productions
Axanar Tries to Rally Fan Films to Its Proposed Guidelines

Other Fan Films

Other fan films have been caught in the ripple effects of the Axanar lawsuit. Among them:
Star Trek–Horizon Cancels Crowdfunding Campaign
‘Intrepid’ Suspends Production
Peters Falsely Accuses Starbase Studios Producer
Axanar Accuses Horizon of Buying YouTube Views
Renegades Removes Star Trek Elements from its Production, Continues as Original Series

Analysis

ANALYSIS AND OPINIONS
This is a series of AxaMonitor articles examining Axanar’s crowdfunding efforts, its spending, its goals and how it has reported on those activities.
AxaMonitor Analysis:
Funding
Goals
Spending

COMMENTARY
Opinion pieces about issues arising from the Axanar copyright lawsuit.
Endgame: Insight to How the Case May Turn Out
Fairness: The ‘Bias’ Behind Scrutiny
The Public Interest Behind Private Guidelines Talks
Axanar Paints Critics with Broad Brush
David Gerrold Repudiates Axanar Slur