By Stuart N. Brotman Matt Lauer and Louis C.K. may be the latest answers on Jeopardy. But here is the real question: How do you control talent behavior in the entertainment and media fields? This inquiry has been posed for over 80 years now. When Hollywood had a studio system … [Read more...] about Convicting Celebrities: How the Morals Clause Continues to Shape American Culture
Litigation
No Joke: Court Dismisses Conan’s Affirmative Defense in Joke Theft Lawsuit
On Thursday, Judge Janis Sammartino of the Southern District of California rejected the affirmative defenses advanced by Conan O’Brien in a long-running joke theft lawsuit. The suit centers on four jokes that O’Brien told on his show Conanin 2015, which were allegedly stolen from … [Read more...] about No Joke: Court Dismisses Conan’s Affirmative Defense in Joke Theft Lawsuit
De Havilland v. FX Networks: Another “Slapp” in the Face?
On Tuesday, FX Networks filed a brief in opposition to Olivia de Havilland’s petition for writ of certiorari, asking the Supreme Court not to hear de Havilland’s case after her petition for review was rejected by the California Supreme Court on July 11. The initial lawsuit … [Read more...] about De Havilland v. FX Networks: Another “Slapp” in the Face?
Bad Break: Ex-NFL Player Sues Dr. James Andrews for $180 Million
Sharrif Floyd, a 2013 first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings, filed a lawsuit against the most well-known man in sports medicine, Dr. James Andrews, and his staff, for $180 million. Floyd went under the knife during the 2016 season for what was supposed to be routine … [Read more...] about Bad Break: Ex-NFL Player Sues Dr. James Andrews for $180 Million
Ohio Supreme Court Ruling Opens the Door for a Lawsuit Blitz
The Ohio Supreme Court became the first state high court to tackle the issue of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (“CTE”) in court, holding that CTE could be treated as a latent condition that develops long after an initial injury. Steven Schmitz, a former football player at … [Read more...] about Ohio Supreme Court Ruling Opens the Door for a Lawsuit Blitz