Courthouse Steps
Recently filed cases in entertainment law, straight from the steps of the Los Angeles Superior Court.
Features
Court Rulings on Industry Attorney Fees
Depending on the circumstances and the law, parties on either side of an entertainment suit may ask a court for an award of attorney fees. Following are court rulings from recent months that deal with this and related concerns. In future issues, <i>Entertainment Law & Finance</i> will report on such relevant rulings in Attorney-Fee Updates.
Features
Negotiating Termination Provisions in Film Talent and Distribution Deals
Entertainment attorneys spend a significant part of their time putting deals together and creating agreements reflecting those deals. But these lawyers may occasionally be called on to terminate ' in an amicable fashion ' an agreement that they or someone else has prepared.
Case Notes
Highlights of the latest product liability cases from around the country.
American Manufacturers Beware: Product Liability in the European Union
Until recently American manufacturers were not likely to be sued in Europe. Now, however, with legislation enacted by European Union Member States, an American manufacturer may be found strictly liable for a defective product.
Practice Tip: Prove Your Case with Circumstantial Evidence of Defect
In order to recover for any injury caused by a product, the product must be proven to have been defective. Yet many product injuries are caused by defects that are not readily ascertainable. Does that mean you should reject the case or discontinue?
Features
EPA Documents Are Available Online
If you are involved in litigation concerning a substance regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the agency has a Web site where you can review dockets and documents: <i>http://cascade.epa.gov/RightSite/dk_public_home.htm.</i> EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) is an online public docket and comment system designed to expand access to documents in the EPA's major dockets. Dockets contain Federal Register notices, support documents, and public comments for regulations the Agency publishes and various nonregulatory activities.
Features
Psychological Disorders: Understanding the Criteria for Admissibility of Expert Opinion
Psychologists, psychiatrists, and licensed social workers routinely testify as experts in both criminal and civil cases in which the mental condition of an individual is at issue. While the credentials and qualifications of such experts may not always be subject to challenge, the reliability and relevance of their proffered testimony should be examined closely. Regardless of the conclusion generated, the inquiry into a mental health professional's opinion must be one that looks to the principles and methods used, not the ultimate conclusion reached. <i>Daubert v. Merrill Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,</i> 509 U.S. 579, 595 (1993).
Features
Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act Claims in Florida Need Not Be Stayed Until Judgment
In a Sept. 25, 2003, opinion, the Florida Supreme Court held that a claim under the Florida Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act (FUFTA) does not need to be stayed until a judgment is obtained against the alleged fraudulent transferor. <i>Friedman v. Heart Institute of Port St. Lucie, Inc.,</i> 2003 WL 22208004 (Fla. 2003).
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