G&M Realty L.P., et al. v. Maria Castillo, et al.
DueProcess FifthAmendment FirstAmendment Copyright Privacy JusticiabilityDoctri
Did the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment permit the district court to impose liability against a property owner under the 'recognized stature' provision of VARA, and award enhanced statutory damages of $6.75 million, for destroying works of graffiti art affixed to his warehouses being demolished in connection with development of his property?
QUESTION PRESENTED Designed to create for visual artists a “moral right” of “integrity,” the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (“VARA”) authorizes courts to impose statutory damages of up to $150,000 against the owner of a work of visual art if the owner intentionally destroys a work of “recognized stature’—a novel term, undefined in VARA, which fails to provide a person of ordinary intelligence fair notice of what is prohibited. Did the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment permit the district court to impose liability against a property owner under the “recognized stature” provision of VARA, and award enhanced statutory damages of $6.75 million, for destroying works of graffiti art affixed to his warehouses being demolished in connection with development of his property?