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Louisiana Court Lacks Personal Jurisdiction Over Jeopardy! Production Company in State's Effort to Collect Taxes

The Louisiana Court of Appeal affirmed a trial court ruling of lack of personal jurisdiction over the company behind the Jeopardy! game-show's production and merchandising rights, in the state's Department of Revenue (LDR) petition to get corporate and franchise taxes from the California-based entertainment company. Robinson v. Jeopardy Productions, 2019 CA 1095. The court of appeal explained: "Jeopardy's licensing and distribution agreements gave CBS [Television Distribution Group] and IGT [International Gaming Tech] the sole authority to decide in which states to license and/or distribute the 'Jeopardy!' game show, trademark/logo, and merchandise with unrelated third parties. The evidence was uncontroverted that Jeopardy [Productions] merely owns the intellectual property of the 'Jeopardy!' game show and trademark. Jeopardy has no control over where and with whom the licensees, CBS and IGT, choose to market and negotiate distribution of the game show and merchandise. Jeopardy made no intentional or direct contact with Louisiana. Furthermore, each licensing agreement specifically states that Jeopardy is not in a partnership, joint venture, or agency with CBS or IGT."