Workers’ Compensation Claim from the Fringe (of the Premises): Harrah’s Atlantic City Liable for Claim At Very Edge of Property

Per a January 17, 2014 decision of the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Harrah’s Atlantic City (Harrah’s) is liable for a claim occurring at the very outskirts of its property.

The undisputed facts of the claim are that Ms. Burdette, a casino dealer for Harrah’s, finished her shift on September 19, 2012. During the course of her exit from the property, she drove her vehicle along a Harrah’s internal driveway and through a Harrah’s security gate, but her vehicle was struck …

January 16, 2014 Litigation / Music / Trademark

Coinye Shutting Off “All of the Lights”

“Coinye West” is closing up shop because Kanye West isn’t happy. On January 14, 2014, Kanye West filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the virtual currency now known as Coinye. The currency, which started as a joke, announced through its website, “Coinye is dead. You win, Kanye.”

Earlier this month, the currency’s founders discussed Coinye West in an interview with Vibe. They talked about the soon to be launched currency. Referring to Kanye, they said “I think he’s gonna love that there’s a …

January 15, 2014 Antitrust / Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Trademark / NCAA

Supreme Court Denies NCAA’s Petition to Get “In The Game”

On January 13, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the NCAA’s request to intervene as a party in Keller v. Electronic Arts Inc. The Keller case stems from 2009 and involves “rights of publicity” and antitrust claims. Former college football players alleged that the EA violated their right of publicity and conspired with the NCAA by using their image and likeness in its videogames.

In EA’s appeal, the Ninth Circuit held that the NCAA was not immune to the players’ claims because the depictions in …

January 13, 2014 Rights / TV

TV Weather Anchor Hiring Decisions Are Acts in Furtherance of Free Speech

Thanks to a California intermediate appellate court’s recent reversal of a Los Angeles County trial court, CBS is halfway towards the early dismissal of a discrimination lawsuit filed by a man CBS declined to hire for a weather anchor position. The case is Hunter v. CBS Broadcasting Inc.

The plaintiff, Kyle Hunter, filed a gender and age discrimination complaint against CBS Broadcasting Inc. asserting that CBS violated the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. He alleges that two local CBS television stations in Los Angeles …

January 9, 2014 NBA

The End of the Greatest Sports Deal of All Time

It’s been called the greatest deal in sports franchise history, and now, it may finally come to an end. The NBA has long hoped to be relieved of a 1976 agreement that gave two brothers one-seventh of the visual media revenues received by four NBA teams. The agreement didn’t seem outrageous in 1976, but in 2014, that agreement has given the brothers over $300 million in media revenue. Finally, the NBA and the two brothers, Daniel and Ozzie Silna, are coming to a settlement to …

January 7, 2014 Litigation / NFL

Fan Brings Class Action Suit Against NFL Over Super Bowl Ticket Price

NFL fans know they are going to have to shell out big bucks if they want to go to the Super Bowl. At the time this was written, tickets were priced at a minimum of $2,500 on ticket resale websites. Despite getting a “deal” and only paying $2,000 a piece for his tickets, Josh Finkelman filed a class action lawsuit against the NFL in a New Jersey federal court on January 6th, 2014.

Finkelman alleges the NFL violated New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act by limiting …

January 6, 2014 NFL

Vikings Hire Two Top “Players” to Investigate Ex-Punter’s Allegations

The Minnesota Vikings have retained former Minnesota Supreme Court chief justice Eric Magnuson and former Justice Department attorney Chris Madel to investigate ex-punter Chris Kluwe’s allegations that he was fired for supporting same-sex marriage.

On January 2, 2013, Kluwe published an article on Deadspin outlining the time leading up to his release from the team. He discussed speaking out in support same-sex marriage and the response of team employees. Kluwe said he is “pretty confident” he was fired after eight years as the Vikings’ punter …

January 3, 2014 Litigation

Johnny Depp Settles Bodyguard Lawsuit

According to TMZ, Johnny Depp settled a case brought against him concerning the alleged actions of his bodyguards. Rather than fighting it out in court, Depp and the other defendants reached an agreement with Robin Eckert for an undisclosed amount.

In December 2011, Depp attended an Iggy Pop concert in Los Angeles. Allegedly, Eckert, who was seated next to Depp, was thrown to the ground by Depp’s bodyguards after dancing too close to the movie star. Eckert claimed the bodyguards caused her pants to …

December 27, 2013 Litigation / Trademark

Disney Hoping to Freeze “Frozen Land”

This holiday season Disney released its newest animated film “Frozen.” To celebrate, the company presented Phase 4 Films with a gift worse than Aunt Edna’s fruit cake – a trademark infringement lawsuit.

Disney’s “Frozen” was released on November 19, 2013. Less than three weeks earlier, Phase 4 changed the title of one of its from “The Legend of Sarila” to “Frozen Land.” In a December 23 complaint, Disney stated the change was an attempt to ride the coattails of “Frozen’s” success.

Under its original title, …

December 23, 2013 Concussions / NCAA

Judges’ Panel Creates New Multi-District Litigation for NCAA Concussion Cases

A panel of federal judges recently ruled that ten class-action lawsuits brought against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) will be consolidated into a single multi-district litigation in Chicago. In essence, each suit alleges that the NCAA intentionally concealed the long term-risks of concussions sustained by student athletes in a variety of college sports. The consolidation follows in the wake of the recent $765 million settlement of the NFL’s concussion litigation, a nearly identical action brought against the league by over 4,500 former NFL alumni.…

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