Stolen German Painting Found in NYC

James Weldon, a resident of East 73rd Street, inherited Adraen Coorte’s 1705 painting, “Still Life with Chestnuts.” This painting is now the basis of a Summons and Complaint filed in Manhattan Supreme Court by Dr. Konrad Meissner. Dr. Meissner, a resident of Polling, Germany, claims that his father was a well-known art dealer in Dresden, Germany and was in possession of the painting before it illegally seized by the German “Stasi.”

In the 1970s and 1980s, East Germany had established “fictitious fax obligations” by the …

March 24, 2015 Defamation / Doping / MLB

Clemens’ Defamation Lawsuit Reaches Settlement

On Wednesday March 18, the defamation-based legal dispute between Roger Clemens and his former trainer, Brian McNamee, arising from allegations that the long-time MLB pitcher used performance enhancing drugs, has finally settled.

The dispute began over 7 years ago with the publication of the now infamous Mitchell Report. In the report, pitching trainer, Brian McNamee, accused both Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens of taking performance enhancing drugs banned by the MLB. Though Pettitte quickly admitted to his use, Clemens denied, and continues to deny, …

March 23, 2015 Fraud / Litigation

Ex-Ravens Ray Lewis Going After His Former Lawyer

Ex-Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis has sued his former attorney and longtime friend who defrauded him of $1.7 million in connection with a failed development project in Hunt Valley, Maryland.

The lawsuit alleges Lewis’ former attorney Marc Seldin Rosen convinced Lewis to sign a line of credit that “would not be touched.” However, the attorney obtained $1.7 million for the MVP Lanes entertainment complex, a Hunt Valley bowling alley project. Lewis alleges that he believed he was only allowing his name and likeness to the project.…

March 19, 2015 Advertising / Copyright

Nike Asks Court to Nix Copyright Infringement Suit over ‘Jumpman’ Logo

Nike filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Jacobus Rentmeester, a photographer who shot a mid-air Michael Jordan in 1984, an image which allegedly became the Jumpman logo.

Rentmeester filed a suit in January 2015, alleging Nike misappropriated his work to create the famous “Jumpman” logo which is essentially a silhouette of Michael Jordan appearing to be in the process of a dunk. More specifically, Rentmeester claimed that Nike used his photograph of Jordan published in a 1984 issue of Life magazine. …

March 18, 2015 NCAA

9th Circuit Hears O’Bannon Antitrust Appeal Arguments

On Tuesday, March 17, NCAA March Madness began in more than one respect. In addition to the start of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament, Tuesday saw the beginning of the much anticipated NCAA appeal to the 9^th Circuit challenging the outcome of O’Bannon v. NCAA.

Last August, Judge Claudia Wilken ruled in the case that the NCAA was unreasonably restraining trade in violation of antitrust law by limiting schools’ scholarship amounts to less than the full cost of attendance. The ruling provides an …

March 17, 2015 NFL

GA’s High Court OKs Atlanta’s $200M Injection into New Falcons Stadium Construction

The Georgia Supreme Court affirmed the lower court’s decision finding that Atlanta’s plan to issue $200 million in bonds to help finance the construction of a new stadium was within the bounds of the state constitution.

The $1.4 billion construction project has been delayed by a lawsuit brought by a group of Atlanta residents who challenged the city’s plan to use hotel-motel tax revenue to finance $200 million of the $1.4 billion. Although other cities often use a hotel-motel tax on their sports facilities, the …

March 13, 2015 Advertising

Judge Blocks Jordan’s 3-Point Attempt in Right of Publicity Lawsuit

Jordan’s bid to win the right of publicity lawsuit without going to trial failed as a federal district court refused to rule that Jewel’s use of his likeness violated relevant state law as matter of law.

On March 12, District Judge Gary Feinerman denied Jordan’s motion for summary judgment, finding that there remained an unanswered legal question of “the extent to which the scope of the . . . state laws . . . is coextensive with the Supreme Court’s constitutional commercial-speech doctrine.”

To establish …

March 12, 2015 Litigation / NFL

NFL Owes $75,000 in Super Bowl Seating Suit; Witness Tampering Questions Remain

On Thursday, March 12, the NFL was found guilty of breaching its contracts with seven fans who purchased tickets to Super Bowl XLV back in 2011 and is ordered to pay those fans $75,000.

The seven fans brought this lawsuit against the NFL after they were denied the seats they purchased tickets to at the Super Bowl in Arlington, Texas. Only a few hours before game time, the local fire marshal determined the seats unsafe, and the NFL had to scurry to supply new seats. …

March 12, 2015 NFL

Ex-Steeler Entitled to Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Pennsylvania

In a March 4, 2015 decision, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania awarded former center Chukwunweze Sonume (“Chukky”) Okobi $779 per week in workers’ compensation benefits, along with awarding over $22,000 in attorney’s fees and costs, due to multiple injuries sustained during his time in the National Football League.

Okobi played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2001 to 2007, and then was signed by the Arizona Cardinals in 2007 and Houston Texans in 2008. In 2009, Okobi filed a claim for workers’ compensation benefits against the …

Jury Finds “Blurred Lines” a Copy, Awards Gaye Family $7.36 Million

On Tuesday, March 10, a California Jury determined that Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams copied Marvin Gaye’s 1977 hit “Got to Give it Up” in writing their hit song “Blurred Lines,” awarding $7.36 million in damages to Gaye’s children.

Back in August of 2013, Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams filed a preemptive lawsuit to declare that their hit song “Blurred Lines” did not infringe on the copyright of Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up.” Ever since that point, the music world has …

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