NEW YORK–The judge presiding over Shepard Fairey vs. Associated Press recently made statements suggested Associated Press would win the case if artist Shepard Fairey does not settle. AP News quotes Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein as saying that “whether it’s sooner or later, The Associated Press is going to win.” The statements were allegedly made during a hearing on May 28, 2010. Huffington Post has more details on the hearing.

The litigation began February 2009 when Fairey sued for a declaratory judgement that his “Hope” poster did not infringe AP’s copyright of an Obama photograph taken by Mannnie Garcia.