Not a question one frequently has occasion to ask. Earlier this year, the father of a high school lacrosse player in Texas filed a RICO suit in federal court over what he describes as a “pay-for-play” scheme at some of the state’s premier high school lacrosse programs. (It’s literally the father who filed suit as he is a lawyer and one of the plaintiffs, along with his wife and son, and his firm is the plaintiffs’ counsel.) This suit follows a similar state court suit …
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Tarantino Withdraws IP Lawsuit Against Gawker Over Script Leak
Barely a few weeks ago Pulp Fiction and Django Unchained director Quentin Tarantino filed an amended complaint in his lawsuit against the website Gawker, alleging that the site had committed copyright infringement by allowing a copy of his latest script, The Hateful Eight, to leak on the internet. Now, Tarantino and his lawyers have decided to walk away, voluntarily dismissing the lawsuit.
The controversy began after Gawker posted a downloadable PDF version of Tarantino’s script online. The two-time Oscar winner responded by filing …
Continue ReadingTo Unionize, or Not to Unionize? Northwestern Football Players Cast Historic Vote Following Controversial NLRB Ruling
On April 25, Northwestern University’s scholarship football players voted on whether to form the first union for college athletes. This came on the heels of a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling that the university’s scholarship football players were employees, and that they (as workers) had the right to form a union and were entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. The NLRB agreed with the players on almost every point made at last month’s hearing, including acknowledging that athletes spend well in excess of the weekly …
Continue ReadingNBA Makes a Strong Statement Banning Clippers Owner Sterling For Life
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued severe sanctions against Los Angeles Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling, banning him from the sport for life and fining him $2.5 million for the racist remarks Sterling admitted he uttered to his girlfriend. In a statement to the press Silver noted, “As part of the lifetime ban, Mr. Sterling may not attend any NBA games or practices, be present at any Clippers office or facility, or participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team. He will also be …
Continue ReadingFacebook Fan Battles Ferrari
Amateur race car driver Sammy Wasem started a Ferrari fan page on Facebook when he was 15, and over time, it became an enormous success. In fact, he and his father Oliver earned a congratulatory email from Ferrari in March of 2009, when his site passed the 500,000-fan marker. However, the email read, “legal issues force us [Ferrari] in taking over the formal administration of the fan page.” And now, Wasem finds himself in a legal battle that may define the extent of online freedom …
Continue Reading‘What Masie Knew’ Screenwriter Facing Libel-in-Fiction Suit by Ex
The movie “What Maisie Knew” has been commonly understood as being an adaptation of Henry James’ 1897 novel that shares the same name. That work chronicled the bitter tale of a daughter caught between two parents in a custody battle between her biological parents. On April 18, 2014, actress/musician Ronee Sue Blakley sued Carroll Cartwright, the film’s co-writer, alleging that the recent film adaptation of the piece was actually a defamatory portrayal of the former couple’s contentious custody battle that lasted over ten years.
In …
Continue ReadingJames Franco’s Management Team Suing Former Members for Embezzlement
On April 18, 2014, the management firm of Hollywood actor James Franco sued his recently fired talent manager Miles Levy and financial manager Steve Blatt in California state court, alleging that both conspired to fraudulently bilk the actor out of millions of dollars. The suit, filed by Randy James of James Levy Management, accused the defendants of “embezzl[ing] significant sums in commissions [ ] for nearly a decade . . . . The thieves have been caught and the day of reckoning has arrived.” Among …
Continue ReadingFormer Baltimore Orioles Star sues Seminole Tribe for $10M Over Casino Slip and Fall
Two years ago retired MLB Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson fell off of a stage during a charity event at the Hard Rock Casino in Southern Florida. Now, Robinson is suing the casino’s owner – the Seminole Tribe – for almost $10 million in damages as a result of the plunge.
Allegedly, Robinson’s tumble occurred after the star attempted to stand using the wall behind his chair for support. However, the “wall” was actually a curtain with no railing or other support behind it. Robinson …
Continue ReadingBorgata Refunding Entrance Fees From Poker Tourney Tainted by Fake Chips
Following a three month investigation, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement issued an order on April 14th indicating that $1.7 million in prize money should be refunded to nearly half of the individuals that participated in a January poker tournament.
Tournament participants were required to pay a $560 entrance fee – $60 of which went to the house and $500 which went to the overall prize pool. However, the tournament was halted shortly after it began when the casino discovered that hundreds of fake …
Continue ReadingNHL in Fight with Insurer over Concussion Lawsuits
The National Hockey League is currently being sued in two separate lawsuits by former players who allege that the league concealed the long-term effects of concussions and failed to adequately warn them of the same. On April 17, the NHL was sued again – this time by one of its insurers (TIG Insurance Co., a New Hampshire-based unit of Fairfax Financial Holdings, Ltd.), a company that hopes to limit or avoid its duty to defend the league in the existing cases and the new suits …
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