SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Opening statements have begun in a federal lawsuit involving toy rivals Mattel and MGA Entertainment to determine who owns the right to make and market Bratz dolls.
The sassy, street-wise dolls were an instant hit when MGA introduced the line in 2001, but Mattel says the company stole the idea.
A federal appeals court last year threw out a verdict that awarded $100 million to Mattel in the copyright infringement case.
That decision set the stage for the retrial that began Tuesday. But this time around, jurors will also have to decide if MGA engaged in the theft of trade secrets and whether Mattel pursued unfair business practices.
The trial in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana is expected to take at least four months.
