Publisher John Wiley & Sons has filed a lawsuit against 27 BitTorrent users who distributed digital copies of books from the For Dummies series without authorization. Follow this PDF link to download the suit.

According to TorrentFreak, the complaint lists charges that include copyright infringement, trademark infringement and trademark counterfeiting. They also noted that the ‘BitTorrent for Dummies‘ book is not mentioned in the suit. Publishers Weekly reports that the publisher intends to combat piracy by “educating and stopping people from illegally copying its content.”

Here’s more from the complaint: “Defendants are contributing to a problem that threatens the profitability of Wiley…For example, BitTorrent users on a single site, demonoid.me, have downloaded one of the works that is the subject of this suit, Photoshop CS 5 All-In-One For Dummies, more than 74,000 times since June 6, 2010 … The damage to Wiley includes hark to its goodwill and reputation in the marketplace for which money cannot compensate. Wiley is particularly concerned that its trademarks are used in connection with unauthorized electronic products, which could contain malicious viruses.”

Publisher Creatively Classic Activities and Books (CCA and B) has sued Adams Media, alleging that The Elf Off the Shelf infringes on CCA and B’s copyrighted title, The Elf on the Shelf. The lawsuit also includes Adams editor Brendan O’Neill, publicist Beth Gissinger and designer Jessica Faria.

According to Publishers Weekly, the complaint contains allegations of infringement on copyright, trademarks and website domain name. The publisher seeks a permanent injunction as well as damages for the suit. Adams Media will argue that The Elf Off the Shelf parodies CCA and B’s backlist title.

Here’s more about The Elf Off the Shelf: “It’s the photo-story set to verse of one disgruntled little helper with a gift for making mischief. Whether he’s getting into the eggnog or trying to bed Barbie, his AWOL antics could ruin the holidays for everyone!” As of right now, The Elf Off the Shelf is slated for release on October 18th. CCA and B’s Elf on the Shelf line currently has two products; the original picture book and an activity book.

Boxing champion Muhammad Ali has filed a lawsuit against the eReader and digital bookselling company, Kobo.

Bloomberg reports that Ali’s complaint alleges that Kobo used his famous slogan, “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,” without consent. The slogan and Ali’s name both appeared in a Kobo advertisement featured in The New York Times.

Here’s more from the article: “Ali, 69, seeks a court order blocking Kobo’s use of the slogan and unspecified damages. The advertisement ‘made commercial use of the Muhammad Ali slogan and Muhammad Ali’s name without permission from or compensation to Muhammad Ali Enterprises,’ according to the complaint.” (via Publishers Lunch)

A New York State Supreme Court justice dismissed claims of plagiarism and defamation leveled against cookbook author Jessica Seinfeld and her comedian husband, Jerry Seinfeld.

The feud began when cookbook author Missy Chase Lapine sued Jessica and her publisher, HarperCollins, for plagiarism. Lapine claimed that Jessica’s cookbook, Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food copied the guide from her title, The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals. Lapine also sued Jerry for defamation after he called her “whacko” during a 2007 appearance on the Late Night show. The video embedded above shows a clip from that interview with David Letterman.

Reuters offers this quote from Seinfeld’s attorneys: “The decision also vindicates HarperCollins and Jessica Seinfeld yet again, confirming what the two different federal courts have already ruled: Jessica independently created her bestselling book Deceptively Delicious.” Lapine’s attorneys intend to review the case for a possible appeal. (via Publishers Lunch)

Former C.I.A. officer Ishmael Jones is fighting a court battle with the employer he served for 15 years. In 2008, he released Human Factor: Inside the CIA’s Dysfunctional Intelligence Culture, a book criticizing the C.I.A.’s work. The agency filed suit, alleging that he published the book without approval and in violation of his “Secrecy Agreement.”

In an interview with Book Bench, Jones explained his side: “There is no classified information in this book, but it is highly critical. I had approached my entire chain of command beforehand. In addition, I had also confronted the Agency’s Inspector General. Writing the book was a last resort. In the book, I sought to ‘show, not tell’ and deliver the message in an entertaining form. This confused the censors.”

In the complaint, the C.I.A. demanded to retain the book’s movie rights. Jones does not profit from book sales; he said that proceeds went to various veterans’ groups. If there was a movie, he would treat revenue from the box office in the same way.

Author Sherry Argov has sued the Spanish publisher Group Planeta for copyright infringement and breach of contract while publishing Spanish-language editions of two of her books.

Publishers Weekly reported on the lawsuit:  “[Argov alleges] Planeta and its Editorial Diana Mexicana subsidiary have under paid Argov by at least $1 million by engaging in a number of practices that included: assigning the book to unknown entities without Argov’s permission; deceiving the author by paying royalties based on paperback rather than hardcover prices; selling editions in England and Europe with acquiring the rights; and concealing publication and sales of different editions of the books.”

Argov is the author of Why Men Marry Bitches: A Woman’s Guide to Winning Her Man’s Heart. At the moment, fans are waiting for the audio book version of Why We Love Bitches: Uncensored. It will not be available anywhere except for the official series website store.