How Harper Lee once lost the rights to her book

The news of a sequel to Harper Lee's classic To Kill A Mockingbird has once again brought the reclusive author's public court battle to fight for the copyright to her own work into focus. Her 2013 lawsuit against her former agent, Samuel Pinkus, has since been settled, but the complaint seems relevant today.

In her lawsuit, Lee alleged that in 2007 Pinkus arranged for Lee to assign the copyright for To Kill A Mockingbird to a company he controlled, Veritas Media Inc. ( VMI). The complaint paints Lee as incredibly vulnerable.

From the complaint: "For over 15 years, she [Harper Lee] has suffered from increasingly serious deafness and, for 6-7 years, macular degeneration, which makes it difficult for her to read documents not printed in very large type.” The lawsuit implies Lee's agent took advantage of her frail state to transfer the copyright. "Pinkus knew that Harper Lee was an elderly woman with physical infirmities. He abused that trust and took advantage of Harper Lee's condition.”

Lee's lawsuit sought an order forcing Pinkus and his associated companies to forfeit "whatever rights they own”, as well as forfeit any commissions received. While the terms of the 2013 settlement weren't made clear, it's likely Pinkus agreed to Lee's demands.