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TVT vs. Def Jam Provides Tips On Evidence Use
On March 21, a Manhattan federal jury ruled that the Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJ) committed breach of contract, copyright infringement and fraud over TVT Records plans to release an album by hip-hop producer Irv Gotti featuring Ja Rule and his group Cash Murda Click (CMC). (TVT alleged that IDJ wrongfully prevented Gotti from delivering a CMC album for a November 2002 release date.
Courthouse Steps
Recently filed cases in entertainment law, straight from the steps of the Los Angeles Superior Court.
Clause & Effect
Parties who buy rights to produce films often sell those rights to third parties. Such assignments raise the issue of whether the third-party buyer must meet the contractual obligations that the original rights buyer owed the original rights seller.
Cameo Clips
Recent cases in entertainment law.
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.'
Obtaining Royalty Settlement-Talk Documents In Litigation Over Loss of Legal Client
In an industry of ever-changing loyalties, it's not unusual for attorneys to be concerned about keeping their entertainment clients. In some instances, lawyers may lose clients to competitors. If one lawyer sues another lawyer over such a loss, a key issue will likely be what correspondence the original lawyer can obtain in the lawsuit against the new lawyer.
Recent Developments from Around the States
National cases of interest to you and your practice.
National Litigation Hotline
Recent rulings of importance to you and your practice.
Lateral Transfers: 'Adverse Actions'?
Retaliation claims are the growth industry of employment discrimination law. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the number of reprisal charges filed with the agency has ballooned from under 11,000 in 1992 to more than 22,000 in 2002, rising steadily during that period from 15% to 27% of all EEOC charges.
How to Avoid a 'Runaway Jury'
In the wake of several United States Supreme Court decisions, many employers have implemented mandatory arbitration procedures in order to avoid costly federal and state law employment discrimination trials. The idea that arbitration offers a cheaper alternative and avoids the possibility of a 'runaway jury' has considerable appeal for employers who are now subject to a host of employment discrimination and other workplace protection statutes.

MOST POPULAR STORIES

  • The 'Sophisticated Insured' Defense
    A majority of courts consider the <i>contra proferentem</i> doctrine to be a pillar of insurance law. The doctrine requires ambiguous terms in an insurance policy to be construed against the insurer and in favor of coverage for the insured. A prominent rationale behind the doctrine is that insurance policies are usually standard-form contracts drafted entirely by insurers.
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  • Abandoned and Unused Cables: A Hidden Liability Under the 2002 National Electric Code
    In an effort to minimize the release of toxic gasses from cables in the event of fire, the 2002 version of the National Electric Code ("NEC"), promulgated by the National Fire Protection Association, sets forth new guidelines requiring that abandoned cables must be removed from buildings unless they are located in metal raceways or tagged "For Future Use." While the NEC is not, in itself, binding law, most jurisdictions in the United States adopt the NEC by reference in their state or local building and fire codes. Thus, noncompliance with the recent NEC guidelines will likely mean that a building is in violation of a building or fire code. If so, the building owner may also be in breach of agreements with tenants and lenders and may be jeopardizing its fire insurance coverage. Even in jurisdictions where the 2002 NEC has not been adopted, it may be argued that the guidelines represent the standard of reasonable care and could result in tort liability for the landlord if toxic gasses from abandoned cables are emitted in a fire. With these potential liabilities in mind, this article discusses: 1) how to address the abandoned wires and cables currently located within the risers, ceilings and other areas of properties, and 2) additional considerations in the placement and removal of telecommunications cables going forward.
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