Harry Potter author accused of plagiarism

Written on March 2, 2010 by

J.K. Rawling has been named in a lawsuit alleging she stole ideas for her wildly popular and lucrative Harry Potter hooks from another British author.

The estate of the late Adrian Jacobs  added Bowling as a defendant in a lawsuit it filed in June against Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for alleged copyright infringement, according to a statement released by the estate’s representatives, who are based in Australia.

The lawsuit, filed in a London court, claims Rawling’s book Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire copied substantial parts of Jacobs’ 1987 book, The Adventures of Willy the Wizard, No. 1 Livid Land. Jacobs’ estate also claims that many other ideas from Willy the Wizard were copied into the Harry Potter books. Jacobs died in London in 1997.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth hook in Rawling’s series and was published in July 2000.

Sydney agent Max Markson, who is representing the trustee of Jacobs’ estate, Paul Allen, said Bowling was added to the lawsuit after Allen learned that the statute of limitations to sue her had not run out, as previously thought. “I estimate it’s a billion-dollar case,” Markson said. “That’ll be the decision of the courts, obviously.”

There was no immediate comment from Bowling. In June, Bloomsbury said the allegation that Bowling lifted from Jacobs’ work was “unfounded, unsubstantiated and untrue.” Bloomsbury said Jacobs’ estate first approached the company in 2004 with its claims, but was unable to identify any text in the Harry Potter books that was copied from Willy the Wizard.

In a statement, Allen said the estate is also seeking legal advice on whether the Harry Potter films and soon-to-be-opened Harry Potter theme park breach copyright law.

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