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The widely reported $71.5 million figure was the OMG Girlz’ initial September 2024 jury result against MGA Entertainment, combining compensatory and punitive damages. It is not the amount in the current judgment. After a second proceeding limited to punitive damages, the July 22, 2026 amended judgment preserves compensatory damages only, awards no punitive damages, adds 3.99% annual post-judgment interest, and stays enforcement while MGA’s Ninth Circuit appeal proceeds.
What the lawsuit was about
MGA Entertainment, maker of the L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. fashion-doll line, filed a federal declaratory-judgment action in December 2020 after receiving a cease-and-desist letter connected to the OMG Girlz. T.I. (Clifford Harris), Tameka “Tiny” Harris and members of the group counterclaimed, alleging that MGA copied the group’s distinctive trade dress and misappropriated its name, likeness or identity.
The OMG Girlz’ theory was that the dolls’ styling, presentation and identity drew from the group. MGA denied infringement and misappropriation. In closing argument reported by the Associated Press, MGA lawyer Paul J. Loh called the claims “baseless and offensive”; that was an advocate’s statement, not a judicial finding. The Associated Press’ trial report also described the group’s reaction to the verdict.
How the case reached the 2026 judgment
- December 2020: MGA filed the declaratory-judgment case in federal court.
- First trial: The initial trial ended in a mistrial.
- 2023: A jury found for MGA.
- February 2025: The district court ordered a new trial after concluding that a jury instruction was erroneous in light of the Supreme Court’s Jack Daniel’s Properties, Inc. v. VIP Products LLC decision. Read the February 2025 order.
- September 2024 trial: A new jury found trade-dress infringement involving seven dolls and found misappropriation of the OMG Girlz’ name, likeness or identity. It also resolved MGA’s declaratory claims about other dolls in claim- and doll-specific ways. The AP reported the verdict.
- July 8, 2025: The court left the core liability findings in place but ruled that the punitive-damages result could not stand as entered. It offered a $1 remittitur; the OMG Girlz rejected it, requiring a new jury proceeding on punitive damages. See the July 2025 post-trial order.
- June 23–July 1, 2026: A second jury considered only whether the misappropriation justified punitive damages.
- July 22, 2026: The district court entered an amended final judgment.
Verdicts and damages compared
| Stage | Decision-maker | Damages result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2024 initial verdict | Jury | $17,872,253 compensatory damages plus $53,616,759 punitive damages, reported by the AP as approximately $71.5 million | Initial jury figures; later post-trial rulings changed the punitive-damages outcome |
| July 2025 post-trial ruling | District judge | Liability remained; a $1 punitive-damages remittitur was offered and rejected | Partial new trial ordered on punitive damages |
| July 22, 2026 amended final judgment | District judge after the 2026 punitive-damages trial | $17,872,253 in common-law misappropriation damages; no punitive damages | Post-judgment interest is 3.99% compounded annually; enforcement is stayed pending the appeal mandate |
The monetary figures are case-specific awards, not an industry measure or a general valuation of the L.O.L. Surprise! brand.
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Which dolls were named
The 2024 jury found trade-dress infringement for seven specifically identified dolls:
- Chillax
- Roller Chick
- Metal Chick
- Bhad Gurl
- Prism
- Miss Divine
- Runway Diva
The verdict also found misappropriation of the OMG Girlz’ name, likeness or identity. Other dolls appeared in MGA’s declaratory claims, but the findings varied by claim and doll. The record does not support saying that every O.M.G. doll infringed.
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What the current judgment means
The operative district-court judgment is the July 22, 2026 amended judgment. It records the compensatory misappropriation amount shown in the comparison table, eliminates punitive damages after the second jury found no oppression, fraud or malice for any of the seven dolls, and applies 3.99% post-judgment interest compounded annually from the judgment date.
Although a final judgment has been entered, the court stayed enforcement pending the mandate from the appeal. That means the judgment is not being collected while the appellate process remains unresolved under the terms of the stay.
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The appeal is still pending
The appeal is docketed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit as No. 26-5071. The public docket information retrieved August 7, 2026 stated that a briefing schedule would be set by further order. No appellate decision had been entered in that docket information, and later fee proceedings remain open. Check the Ninth Circuit docket.
Why the $71 million headline is misleading today
News coverage used the September 2024 jury’s combined compensatory-and-punitive figures to describe a roughly $71.5 million win. The subsequent remittitur dispute and 2026 punitive-damages trial changed the operative award. A current account should therefore distinguish the original jury result from the amended final judgment and should not describe the initial punitive figure as money presently payable.
The group’s reaction
After the 2024 verdict, OMG Girlz member Bahja Rodriguez wrote: “This is for creatives everywhere. No longer will we be bullied into silence when it comes to others profiting off of our ideas and creativity.” The Associated Press reported that statement as Rodriguez’s reaction to the verdict, not as a court finding. Read the AP account.
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