J K Rowling embroiled in ‘Harry Potter’ plagiarism row

WELLINGTON - A plagiarism lawsuit has been filed against ‘Harry Potter’ author JK Rowling over the fourth book in her outstanding series.

The lawsuit alleges that J K Rowling’s fourth book in her blockbuster series, ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,’ copied substantial parts of Jacobs’ 1987 book, ‘The Adventures of Willy the Wizard,’ reports the New Zealand Herald.

Rowling and her publishers, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, had applied to court for the case to be immediately dismissed, saying the copyright infringement claims brought by the estate of the late author Adrian Jacobs had no real chance of succeeding.

However, a British judge has refused to dismiss the plagiarism charge, saying claims that the best-selling author stole ideas from an obscure fantasy book deserved to be considered at a proper hearing.

“I do not feel able at this stage to say that Mr. Allen’s case is so bad that I can properly describe it as fanciful,” said the judge.

A one-day hearing will be scheduled to consider the case, the judge ruled.

A lawyer representing Allen said he was delighted that the case can go forward.

“If the claim does proceed, then JK Rowling and Bloomsbury will be required to explain how the similarities between the two works came about, when to date there has been a refusal to disclose key manuscripts and notebooks,” said Allen’s lawyer Nick Kounoupias.

Meanwhile, Rowling has called the claims unfounded and absurd, saying she only learned of Jacobs’ 16-page volume in 2004. (ANI)