Mattel Inc. won a judge’s permission to move forward with copyright- infringement claims against MGA Entertainment Inc. and Carter Bryant, the designer of MGA’s popular Bratz dolls.

U.S. District Judge Stephen Larson said in an order filed Friday afternoon that Mattel’s 1999 agreement with Bryant, a former employee, wasn’t ambiguous and the company can claim rights to work he did while at Mattel.

“The inventions agreement explicitly conveys to Mattel an employee’s interest in any copyrights or copyright applications,” the judge said.

El Segundo-based Mattel claims Bryant worked on the Bratz concept in 2000 while at Mattel, and secretly took the drawings to Van Nuys-based MGA.

Trial is scheduled to begin May 29.

Shares in Mattel were down 16 cents to $19.10 in early trading Monday.