Mattel awarded $40 million in suit against Bratz maker

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Aug 27, 2008

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) -- A federal jury awarded Mattel Inc. $40 million in damages on Tuesday in a federal copyright lawsuit that pitted the house of Barbie against MGA Entertainment Inc., the maker of the saucy Bratz dolls.

Damages were awarded for contract interference and copyright infringement. No punitive damages were ordered against MGA. The same jury that decided the damages phase concluded last month that Bratz designer Carter Bryant came up with the Bratz concept while working at Mattel.

In his closing arguments, Mattel attorney John Quinn said MGA owed Mattel at least $1 billion in Bratz profits and interest, while MGA chief executive Isaac Larian aided in the breach of contract and owed nearly $800 million for his complicity.

MGA attorneys countered that the jury should award Mattel as little as $30 million because the company had built the doll line's value with smart additions, branding and packaging.

MGA hailed Tuesday's decision as vindication in the long-running case.

MGA attorney Thomas Nolan said the jury had awarded just 2 percent of the damages Mattel had sought.

After their introduction in 2001, the Bratz line exploded in popularity among "tweens" -- girls 7 to 12. The highly stylized fashion dolls have oversized feet, heads and hands, curling lashes and huge, almond-shaped eyes daubed with exotic-colored eyeshadow.