Costner Claims Robin Hood Production Company is Robbing From the Rich, Giving to Themselves

On August 8^,2013, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard Stone denied, for a second time, actor Kevin Costner’s claim that Morgan Creek Productions Inc. fraudulently denied him profits from the 90’s hit film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. However, Judge Stone granted the actor leave to amend the complaint to re-plead a claim for fraud keeping alive the possibility for a damages award more significant than one based solely on breach of contract.

In his decision, Judge Stone found insufficient facts to …

June 28, 2013 Contract

‘Thriller’ in the Courtroom: Former Jacksons Lawyer Sues Sony

The Jackson family is the topic for discussion in the courtroom these days. The family’s trial against AEG for negligently hiring Dr. Conrad Murray continues. Meanwhile, on Monday, June 17, 2013, former lawyer and manager for “The Jackson Five,” Richard Arons, filed suit in California Superior Court against Sony Music Entertainment (Sony).

Arons claims that Sony owes him royalties for recorded music Michael and his brothers made prior to 1983. Among other things, Arons is suing for breach of contract and improper accounting.

Arons became …

June 27, 2013 Contract

California Jury Allows Madden Developer to Play On in Case Against EA

It took less than a week to return a verdict in favor of former Electronics Arts Inc. (EA) videogame developer Robin Antonick. On Friday, June 21, 2013, a California jury ruled that Antonick was not too late to bring a breach of contract claim against EA for royalties that he alleges are owed to him from a 1986 agreement with the video gaming company.

Antonick is the original designer and developer of the Madden NFL Football games. A 1986 agreement required EA to pay him …

June 22, 2013 Copyright

USTA Seeks Ruling on Use of US Open Footage in ‘Venus and Serena’ Documentary

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is matching up the documentary “Venus and Serena,” in New York federal court. On Friday, June 14, 2013, the USTA filed suit against Maiken Baird and Michelle Major, the filmmakers behind the documentary that follows the lives of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. The suit alleges that the filmmakers infringed USTA’s exclusive copyrights for the annual U.S. Open tennis competition.

The lawsuit contends that the filmmakers were granted limited access to film portions of the 2011 U.S. Open …

June 21, 2013 Contract

Trial to Determine if Madden Developer Can Beat the Clock with Big Play for Damages

On Monday June 17, 2013, opening statements were made to determine if Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) lied to the original programmer of the Madden NFL videogame. Robin Antonick, the game’s original programmer, claims the company continued to use the game’s code that he developed after contractually agreeing not to do so. Monday, a California federal judge decided the case would go to trial.

Antonick worked for EA from 1984 to 1991. During his tenure, he developed the first rendition of the game for Apple II, …

February 22, 2013 Contract

Macy’s / J.C. Penney Martha Stewart Lawsuit is Not a Good Thing

On February 20, 2013, department stores J.C. Penney Inc. and Macy’s Inc. faced off in a new arena – a New YorkState courtroom. The two retailers are going to trial over Martha Stewart. Macy’s suit accuses J.C. Penney of attempting to convince Martha Stewart to break her company’s exclusive merchandise contract with the department store chain – a contract Macy’s says gives them the exclusive rights to sell certain Martha Stewart products until 2018. Part of Macy’s lawsuit reads: “J.C. Penney want[s] to rob Macy’s …

February 22, 2013 Fraud

Mike Tyson Seeks to Punch-Out Former Financial Advisors with Lawsuit

On February 20, 2013, former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment Inc. and its subsidiary SFX Financial Advisory Management Enterprises Inc. in California state court. Tyson’s suit accuses the Defendants of damaging him financially by embezzling more than $300,000.00 from Tyson and his wife, along with providing Tyson false financial advice that ended up costing the former star more than $5 million.

Tyson has had a financial relationship with the Defendants since 2005. Later, when the boxer …

January 16, 2013 Contract

The Grinch Might Have Stolen Christmas, but Suit Says Disney Stole Christmas Movie Idea

On January 14, 2013, two producers, Beth Grossbard and Barri Rosenblum, sued Disney, ABC, ABC Family and former ABC executive Beth Miller for breach of an implied in-fact contract and breach of confidence. Grossbard and Rosenblum allege the network stole their idea for a Christmas movie.

Grossbard and Rosenblum pitched the idea for a movie called “I Hate Christmas” to ABC Family executives in 2005. Although the network turned down their movie idea, their complaint contends that the executives reworked those same ideas into “The …

December 13, 2012 TV

Former Agent Sues for Cut of ‘Pawn Stars’ Profits

Talent Agency, Venture IAB Inc., filed suit against A&E Television Networks LLC, claiming they signed on to represent the cast of The History Channel’s hit reality show “Pawn Stars” back in 2007, but were wrongfully terminated soon after the show aired in 2009.

The main issue at hand involves the representation agreements between Venture IAB and The Harrison Family (Corey Harrison, Rick Harrison, Richard Harrison) and Austin “Chumlee” Russell, who operate the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. Venture IAB claims …

December 13, 2012 TV

Yuuuup! ‘Storage Wars’ Ex-Cast Member Claims Show is Staged

David Hester, former star of A&E’s hit reality show “Storage Wars,” filed a wrongful discharge claim in violation of public policy against the network and production company on Tuesday. Hester asserts that he was terminated in retaliation for voicing his opinion in regards to the reality show’s allegedly staged and fraudulent practices in rigging the contents of the storage units up for auction.

“Storage Wars” follows buyers who bid for abandoned storage lockers hoping to find valuables that they can sell for a profit. The …