Mattel Out $310M After Losing Bratz Spat

The final bell has been rung in the long-running Mattel-MGA Entertainment court battle over Bratz—and Barbie's makers have taken a hell of a beating. A federal judge has ordered Mattel to pay MGA, the makers of Bratz dolls, a total of $310 million in punitive damages and lawyers fees, and rejected Mattel's request for a new trial, reports the Los Angeles Times.

A jury decided earlier this year that MGA hadn't infringed on Mattel's copyright or stolen trade secrets. Mattel argued that the designer who thought up the bratty, big-headed dolls broke his contract with the company when he took the idea to MGA. The judge's ruling leaves Mattel little room for appeal, although a second fight is looming: MGA says the Mattel lawsuit has damaged the Bratz brand to the tune of $1 billion and it intends to recoup the loss through a separate lawsuit. (More Bratz stories.)