Copycat Product Act

Model Bill Info
Bill Title	Copycat Product Act
Date Introduced	August 10, 2018
Date Finalized	September 18, 2018
Type	Model Policy
Status	Final
Task Forces	Civil Justice

Copycat Product Act

Model Policy

[Title, enacting clause, etc.]

Section 1. {Liability for damages}

(a) In any civil action for personal injury, death, or property damage caused by a product, regardless of the type of claims alleged or the theory of liability asserted, the plaintiff must prove, among other elements, that the defendant designed, manufactured, sold, or leased the particular product the use of which is alleged to have caused the injury on which the claim is based, and not a similar or equivalent product. Designers, manufacturers, sellers, or lessors of products not identified as having been used, ingested, or encountered by an allegedly injured party may not be held liable for any alleged injury. A person, firm, corporation, association, partnership, or other legal or business entity whose design is copied or otherwise used by a manufacturer without the designer’s express authorization is not subject to liability for personal injury, death, or property damage caused by the manufacturer’s product, even if use of the design is foreseeable.

(b) This section is not intended to alter or affect any other principle of law, including with regard to successor entities, distributors, component manufacturers, or manufacturers who use component parts in assembling products for sale as complete units; or those that apply to the operation of a contract, including a licensing agreement.

Section 2. {Severability clause.}

Section 3. {Repealer clause.}

Section 4. {Effective date.}