Lloyd Chiate v. Stevland Morris, Aka: Stevie Wonder

972 F.2d 1337 NOTICE: Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3 provides that dispositions other than opinions or orders designated for publication are not precedential and should not be cited except when relevant under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppel. Lloyd CHIATE, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Stevland MORRIS, aka: Stevie Wonder, et al., Defendants-Appellees. No. 90-55428. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Argued and Submitted Jan. 7, 1992. Decided Aug. 17, 1992. Before POOLE, WIGGINS and LEAVY, Circuit Judges. 1 MEMORANDUM * OVERVIEW 2 Lloyd Chiate appeals the judgment entered in favor of appellees Stevland Morris (p.k.a. "Stevie Wonder"), Black Bull Music, Motown Record Corporation, Orion Pictures Corporation, GTE Sprint Communications, MCA Distributing Corporation, and Jobete Music Company in his suit alleging copyright infringement by Morris. The song in question, "I Just Called To Say I Love You," earned Morris an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1985. The case was tried before a jury, which ruled in Morris' favor by special verdict. 3 Chiate argues that the trial judge erred by making comments which were biased and prejudicial, depriving…