NEW ORLEANS – A New Orleans-area photographer who filed a copyright infringement suit against the Trump Organization over a photograph she took has settled the matter, according to court documents.
Professional photographer Julie Dermansky took a photo at a 2016 presidential campaign rally of five women each wearing a one-word shirt that when standing next to each other formed the sentence “Make America Great Again." The photo was posted on then-candidate Donald Trump's Instagram page, allegedly without Dermansky's permission.
Jurisdiction of the case was based on the defending Trump Organization, which is based out of New York. Dermansky, represented by Valley Stream attorney Richard Liebowitz, won the fight over the photo, which received more than 27,000 likes on Trump’s Instagram page and was posted on his campaign website, according to a settlement letter filed Aug. 2.
“Plaintiff Julie Dermansky hereby gives notice that a settlement has been reached between the parties and that this notice serves as dismissal of this action with prejudice,” according to the document ordered by U.S. District Judge Paul Oetken.
After paying a $400 filing fee and giving up her right to a trial by jury, the photographer settled the case.
A statement on Dermansky's website reads, in part: 'I am documenting mankind’s demise through photography, video, and the written word.”
Since filing the suit in June, the image has been removed from the @RealDonaldTrump Instagram page. This is the second instance that the Trump family has been sued for unauthorized use. In September 2016, Donald Trump Jr. used a photo of Skittles taken by Cypress-fleeing refugee David Kittos, according to the Daily Mail.
This article was updated to remove references to interviews Dermansky allegedly had with the BBC and Daily Mail. Dermansky denied having spoken with reporters from either of those outlets.