Judge Tosses Song-Stealing Suit Against Real-Life ‘Glee’ Show Choir

Expecting the show choir's booster club to have control over song choice is like expecting football boosters to call plays, according to the decision.
Courtesy of Photofest

The boosters club of the high school show choir that’s widely considered the inspiration for Glee‘s fictional New Directions isn’t liable if the group used music without properly licensing it, according to a California federal judge.

Tresona Multimedia in July sued the Burbank High School Vocal Music Association Boosters Club, the group’s director Brett Carroll and several other individuals for copyright infringement.

Carroll was removed from the suit in December after U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson found the high school music teacher was protected by qualified immunity in his role as a public employee.

Both Carroll and the booster club filed third-party complaints against the man who arranged the music at issue, Josh Greene and his company Squareplay Entertainment. Greene has…