French Appeals Court: “Les Miserables” Sequels OK; Original Work Now in Public Domain

A French appeals court has ruled that Francois Ceresa’s novels, which he wrote as a kind of sequel to Les Miserables while they may not exhibit Victor Hugo’s talent, may nonetheless continue to be sold. The famed author’s heirs had tried to obtain an injunction and damages on the grounds that the books, which used Hugo’s characters, were an “insult” to Les Miserables. But the judge ruled that Les Miserables is in the public domain and Mr. Ceresa may therefore use it. Read more here in a BBC article and here in a story from Agence France Presse. This Reuters story has interviews with the lawyers who represented the parties.