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NJ Federal Judge Upholds $7.3 Mil. Award for Lady Gaga Talent Scout

By Charles Toutant
February 28, 2015

The producer credited with launching Lady Gaga's career lost his bid to trim the $7.3 million he was ordered to pay a talent scout for introducing him to the singer. Federal Judge Jose Linares of the District of New Jersey denied defendant Rob Fusari's motion for remittitur of the November 2014 verdict, rejecting his claim that the amount of the award to plaintiff Wendy Starland wasn't supported by the evidence in the case. Starland v. Fusari, 2010cv04930.

District Judge Linares said the award “cannot be said to have been excessive or clearly unsupported by the evidence or indicative of manifest injustice and is not shocking to the court.” He had entered a final judgment for Starland in the amount of $7.34 million on Feb. 4, 2015, despite objections raised by Fusari, who took issue with dollar amounts and the phrasing of questions presented to jurors on the verdict form. But Judge Linares noted that the verdict form was approved by both parties during trial.

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