Celebrities

Liability for tossing a naked, willing porn star from a roof into a pool? Tom Goldstein thinks not

Here’s proof that Supreme Court litigators aren’t always mired in highfalutin constitutional cases. Tom Goldstein, the poker-playing lawyer who founded SCOTUSblog, is representing millionaire poker player Dan Bilzerian in an apparent effort to head off a lawsuit by porn star Janice Griffith, report Total Frat Move, Josh Blackman’s Blog and…

May 19, 2014 11:15 AM CDT

Frankie Valli divorce case strengthens California’s community property law

The California Supreme Court has ruled that the former lead singer of the Four Seasons, Frankie Valli, is entitled to half the value of a $3.75 million life insurance policy purchased with marital assets before a divorce. The court ruled (PDF) on Thursday in a case that strengthened California’s community…

May 16, 2014 12:05 PM CDT

Suit filed over plan to block public trails on 66-acre grounds of planned new Oprah Winfrey home

A retired nuclear physicist has sued over the planned closure of trails that have been used by hikers for decades on a 66-acre Colorado property intended as the site of a new home for Oprah Winfrey. The entertainment queen plans to to build a megamansion and guest house on the…

May 15, 2014 10:54 PM CDT

Former Patriots star Aaron Hernandez indicted in new double-murder case

Already facing a Massachusetts first-degree murder case in the 2013 slaying of a semi-pro football player and friend, former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez has now been indicted for first-degree murder in two additional slayings. He is accused of playing a role in the 2012 fatal drive-by shootings of…

May 15, 2014 4:20 PM CDT

Actor Jason Patric wins sperm-donor appeal, can try to show he is presumed parent of biological son

A California appeals court Wednesday agreed with actor Jason Patric that the Lost Boys star should be allowed to pursue a paternity claim concerning his biological son. A Los Angeles County trial judge had ruled that Patric, under a sperm donor agreement he made with his ex-girlfriend and state law,…

May 14, 2014 10:50 PM CDT

Where is legendary ‘Top 40’ DJ? Judge appoints lawyer to find Casey Kasem, 82 and ailing

Stunned to hear from an attorney representing the wife of legendary disc jockey Casey Kasem that the 82-year-old is no longer in the country, a Los Angeles judge on Monday ordered a court investigator and adult protective services to find Kasem and a doctor to evaluate Kasem’s medical condition. Los…

May 12, 2014 10:35 PM CDT

Producers of ‘Matrix’ trilogy dodge copyright infringement lawsuit

What does The Matrix trilogy have in common with cryogenically frozen Nazis who become immortal and wage war on the rest of the world? According to a Los Angeles federal district judge, not much—or at least not enough to find that the creative team behind The Matrix stole ideas from…

Apr 30, 2014 10:45 PM CDT

NBA owner Donald Sterling suspended for life, and experts say his legal options are limited

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was banned for life from the National Basketball Association and fined $2.5 million after a recording surfaced over the weekend of him making racist and sexist statements. In a press conference in New York City on Tuesday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that Sterling…

Apr 29, 2014 11:40 PM CDT

TLC’s ex-manager files $40 million defamation lawsuit against Viacom over VH-1 biopic

TLC—Rozonda “Chili” Thomas, Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins & Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes—in 1999. Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com R&B group TLC doesn’t like scrubs. And based on their 2013 biopic on VH-1, they aren’t too fond of their old manager, Perri “Pebbles” Reid, either. Turns out, Reid wasn’t fond of the way…

Apr 29, 2014 7:37 PM CDT

George Clooney is engaged to high-profile human rights lawyer

Perennial bachelor George Clooney, 52, is headed to the altar with a high-profile human rights lawyer. Although the Hollywood leading man and his 36-year-old fiance Amal Alamuddin have not commented on widespread reports of their engagement, the London law firm for which Alamuddin works has made an announcement, reports Reuters.…

Apr 28, 2014 3:45 PM CDT

Famed prosecutor and judge is rebuilding life in New Orleans after release from prison

Bobby DeLaughter had it all. In 1994, DeLaughter, a crusading prosecutor in Hinds County, Miss., did what several of his predecessors had been unable to do over the previous 31 years: convict white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith for the 1963 murder of civil rights activist Medgar Evers. He became…

Apr 21, 2014 10:48 PM CDT

Dispute over Mickey Rooney’s remains to be decided by Los Angeles judge

Mickey Rooney. Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com Mickey Rooney was the highest paid actor in Hollywood 70 years ago, but his personal property is valued at about $18,000, according to documents filed with his will. Meanwhile, a dispute is looming over who has the authority to claim remains of the actor,…

Apr 10, 2014 5:05 PM CDT

Oops. Rolling Stone cover puts John Hancock signature under Constitution tattoo on star’s bare back

A famed rock ‘n’ roll music magazine is getting a lesson in legal history from its readers. John Hancock, because of his huge signature, is one of the best-known signers of the Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution, readers are pointing out to Rolling Stone. The comments were sparked by…

Apr 9, 2014 7:40 PM CDT

Oscar Pistorius tells about fatal shooting and ‘the moment that everything changed’

Oscar Pistorius. Featureflash Shutterstock.com Oscar Pistorius sobbed on Tuesday as he told jurors how he fired the fatal shots on Valentine’s Day 2013 that killed his girlfriend. The double-amputee track star was so emotional during his testimony that a judge ended the day’s proceedings early, report the Washington Post’s Morning…

Apr 8, 2014 3:29 PM CDT

Blog offers immigration help to Nigella Lawson | Celeb podcaster fights patent troll

It was reported by The Daily Mail and other news outlets this week that celebrity chef Nigella Lawson was turned away from boarding a Los Angeles-bound flight from London. A U.S. embassy spokeswoman would not tell CNN why Lawson had been stopped. At Lifted Lamp, the law firm Benach Ragland…

Apr 4, 2014 1:30 PM CDT