Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%
Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.
Decision of Note: <B>Defamation Claim Reinstated Over 'Hardball' Film</B>
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has reinstated a lawsuit alleging that a youth-baseball coach may have been defamed by the movie 'Hardball.' Muzikowski v. Paramount Pictures Corp., 10-4314.
Plaintiff Robert Muzikowski was a securities broker and insurance salesman who became involved in coaching inner-city Little League Baseball. Outside magazine editor Daniel Coyle wrote the book 'Hardball: A Season in the Projects' after he became involved in Little League coaching. Muzikowski was mentioned several times in Coyle's book. Paramount Pictures later produced a movie based on the book but made no mention of Muzikowski by name or of Little League Baseball. The film included a disclaimer that stated: 'While this motion picture is in part inspired by actual events, persons and organizations, this is a fictitious story and no actual persons, events or organizations have been portrayed.'
Muzikowski filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois alleging that the film's sometimes unflattering central character, Conor O'Neill, played by Keanu Reeves, nevertheless could be identified as Muzikowski. The complaint alleged defamation and false light invasion of privacy. The district court dismissed the suit.
This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only
ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN ENTERTAINMENT LAW.
- Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
- Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
- Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts
Already a have an account? Sign In Now Log In Now
For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws
This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.
Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin
With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.
The Article 8 Opt In
The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.
Removing Restrictive Covenants In New York
In Rockwell v. Despart, the New York Supreme Court, Third Department, recently revisited a recurring question: When may a landowner seek judicial removal of a covenant restricting use of her land?