Celebrities

John Lennon’s lawyer explains how musician’s deportation case changed immigration law (podcast)

When immigration attorney Leon Wildes got a call from an old law school classmate in January 1972 about representing a musician and his wife who were facing deportation, their names didn't ring a bell. Even after meeting with them privately at their New York City apartment, Wildes wasn't entirely clear about who his potential clients were. He told his wife that he'd met with a Jack Lemon and Yoko Moto. "Wait a minute, Leon," his wife Ruth said to him. "Do you mean John Lennon and Yoko Ono?"

Oct 19, 2016 8:30 AM CDT

Mistrial is denied over undisclosed text messages in civil rape case against Derrick Rose

Three undisclosed text messages sent by the plaintiff to Knicks guard Derrick Rose, the man she is suing for alleged sexual assault, won’t derail the trial. U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald of Los Angeles on Wednesday denied a motion for a mistrial, report the Wall Street Journal, the Associated Press…

Oct 13, 2016 10:55 AM CDT

Former House Speaker John Boehner joins Squire Patton Boggs

Former Speaker of the House John Boehner, who led Republicans in the House of Representatives for almost nine years, has joined the law firm Squire Patton Boggs, according to a press release from that firm. Boehner, who does not have a law degree, is not joining the law firm as…

Sep 20, 2016 2:45 PM CDT

Randy Travis DWI arrest video should be released, appeals court says

A redacted dashcam video showing the drunken-driving arrest of country singer Randy Travis must be released under the Texas Public Information Act, a Texas appeals court ruled (PDF) on Thursday. The Texas 3rd Court of Appeals said the August 2012 video isn’t exempted from disclosure, the Austin American-Statesman reports. The…

Aug 18, 2016 4:25 PM CDT

3rd Circuit refuses to reseal damaging Cosby deposition, but questions ‘public moralist’ rationale

A federal appeals court on Monday refused to reseal documents revealing damaging admissions by Bill Cosby in a 2005 deposition. The Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to reseal the documents because their widespread release made the appeal moot, the Hollywood Reporter reports. The records had been filed…

Aug 15, 2016 2:23 PM CDT

Gretchen Carlson files sex harassment suit against Fox News chief Roger Ailes in New Jersey court

Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson has sued network chairman Roger Ailes for alleged sexual harassment in superior court in Bergen County, New Jersey. Carlson claims in the July 6 suit that Ailes fired her and “sabotaged her career” because she refused his sexual advances, report Law.com, the New York…

Jul 7, 2016 10:36 AM CDT

Pete Rose sues former Akin Gump partner for radio show comments

Pete Rose has sued the former Akin Gump partner who authored the report on Rose’s betting on baseball for comments the lawyer made on a radio show last year. John Dowd, who retired from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld in January 2015, is accused of defaming Rose by suggesting…

Jul 7, 2016 9:33 AM CDT

Soccer star Lionel Messi gets suspended sentence for tax fraud

A court in Barcelona has given soccer star Lionel Messi and his father suspended sentences of 21 months in prison for tax fraud. Messi and his father, Jorge, were sentenced for using shell companies to avoid taxes on income from Messi’s image rights, report the Associated Press, Reuters, the Washington…

Jul 6, 2016 9:25 AM CDT

In second sentencing, judge adds an extra year to Pistorius’ prison term

A judge in South Africa is citing mitigating factors in sentencing track star Oscar Pistorius to six years in prison for the 2013 murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Judge Thokozile Masipa said Pistorius has shown remorse by repeatedly trying to apologize to Steenkamp’s parents, the New York Times, CNN…

Jul 6, 2016 8:58 AM CDT

Who are the world’s richest practicing lawyers? Some on the list went to prison

Money Inc.’s list of the world’s richest practicing lawyers includes some lawyers who are banned from practicing law and one lawyer who, Money acknowledges, died last year. No. 1 on Money Inc.’s list is Richard “Dickie” Scruggs, who is worth $1.7 billion and is an ex-con. Scruggs went to prison…

Jun 30, 2016 12:43 PM CDT

Former TV judge can’t practice law in Tennessee due to disability

Former TV judge Joe Brown can’t practice law in Tennessee, at least for now, because his license has been placed on disability inactive status. A statement by production company Celebritunity attributed Brown’s health problems partly to complications from diabetes, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports. “Judge Brown is suffering from what…

Jun 29, 2016 3:17 PM CDT

Lawyer resigns after ‘heaven help us’ text on client Johnny Manziel is mistakenly sent to reporter

A lawyer for former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has resigned from his defense in a domestic violence case after mistakenly sending a text to the Associated Press that raised doubts about a potential plea deal. A spokeswoman for Manziel confirmed Hinton’s resignation and said the lawyer “has always only…

Jun 28, 2016 7:30 AM CDT

Led Zeppelin wins ‘Stairway’ copyright case; losing lawyer sees ‘obviously appealable issues’

Federal jurors on Thursday found for Led Zeppelin in a copyright suit claiming the band had copied the beginning guitar riff of “Stairway to Heaven.” Jurors found for Led Zeppelin after a weeklong trial, the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.), Courthouse News Service…

Jun 24, 2016 8:00 AM CDT

Lawyer who won $5.3M ‘Blurred Lines’ verdict files $20M suit over Ed Sheeran’s ‘Photograph’

A lawyer who represented singer Marvin Gaye’s family in last year’s monster $5.3 million “Blurred Lines” copyright verdict is back in court in another high-profile case over a hit song. This time attorney Richard Busch is seeking $20 million for two veteran California songwriters, contending that Ed Sheeran’s smash song…

Jun 8, 2016 4:46 PM CDT

9th Circuit strikes copyright suit against Madonna over horn sample in ‘Vogue’

Madonna was sued for plagiarism over her 1990 hit “Vogue.” However, a federal appellate court has sided with the Material Girl after finding that the lawsuit had nothing to it. Reuters, the Los Angeles Times and the Hollywood Reporter’s THR, Esq. blog reported Thursday that a divided three-judge panel for…

Jun 3, 2016 5:15 PM CDT