The Social Uplift Company filed a lawsuit against the Photo Drama Motion Picture Company, with the former claiming that the latter did not hold the motion picture rights to the original Kauffman novel. Social Uplift claimed that they had bought the film rights from Joseph Byron Totten, who had previously bought the dramatic rights. Social Uplift sought to restrain Photo Drama from screening a film based upon the novel. Judge Learned Hand of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled on February 10, 1914 in favor of Photo Drama. As a result, Photo Drama was free to exhibit The House of Bondage, and Hand's decision held that the motion picture rights to a copyrighted novel were separate from the dramatic rights.[6]
^Wright, Edna (26 Feb 1915). "Lottie Pickford, of the Famous Players". Motion Picture Magazine. Vol. 9, no. 1. New York City: M.P. Publishing Co. p. 94. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
^"Play Rights vs. Picture Rights". Motion Picture News. Vol. 9, no. 8. New York City: M.P. Publishing Co. 28 Feb 1914. p. 26. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
