Entertainment & Sports Law

Story of Tiger Woods’ Parking Lot Liaison Reportedly Killed with Law Firm’s Help

More than two years ago, Tiger Woods’ law firm helped negotiate a deal that squelched a potential National Enquirer story about a liaison with a restaurant worker, according to a published report. The law firm is Lavely & Singer, the Wall Street Journal reports. The 15-lawyer Los Angeles firm is…

Dec 18, 2009 7:55 PM CST

Stopped for Expired L-Plate, Driver Featured on TV Reality Show Files Federal Suit

Stopped by police in a Chicago suburb for allegedly driving a car with an expired license plate, Eran Best says she was subsequently humiliated when the incident—which eventually included a field sobriety test—was featured in a segment of a television reality show. She reportedly was not charged with any moving…

Dec 16, 2009 10:00 PM CST

Publication Ban No Proof That Nude Pix of Tiger Woods Exist, His Counsel Says

A British court has banned the publication in Britain of photos or videos showing professional golfer Tiger Woods in the nude or having sex. But, in a letter accompanying a copy of the injunction granted yesterday by the High Court in London, the Schillings law firm representing Woods says that…

Dec 11, 2009 6:35 PM CST

Tiger Woods Silent Treatment is Best Strategy, Lawyer Says

Updated: Despite a public hungry for nitty-gritty details, a well-known Florida criminal defense lawyer is one who believes that Tiger Woods is best off staying quiet about the car crash he was in last week near his home. Roy Black said on The Early Show that “By talking to the…

Dec 1, 2009 4:58 PM CST

ABA Leader & Land Use Expert Loved Baseball and Hawaiian Shirts

Renowned for his Florida land-use expertise and love of baseball, David Cardwell was seemingly more comfortable in a Hawaiian shirt than a business suit. “But once he opened his mouth, you knew this guy was the smartest man in the room. And you had to listen,” John Jacobsen of the…

Nov 21, 2009 12:29 AM CST

Ex-Clerk Was Reluctant to Tell Scalia She Went into Entertainment Law

Tara Kole graduated from Harvard Law and went on to clerk for the 9th Circuit’s Alex Kozinski and then U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia—but she didn’t expect those creds to necessarily help her break into entertainment law. “Entertainment boutiques just don’t hire new lawyers,” Kole told Bitter Lawyer. But…

Nov 18, 2009 6:19 PM CST

Universal Settles Newspapers’ Complaints Over Fake Alien Abduction News

A marketing ploy by Universal Pictures has backfired, with the studio agreeing to pay $22,500 for creating fake news reports about alien abductions attributed to seven real media organizations in Alaska. Universal created the online articles to promote its alien-abduction movie, The Fourth Kind, according to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner…

Nov 13, 2009 2:23 PM CST

Sex Tape Said to End Ex-Beauty Queen’s Pageant Suit with Small Settlement

Ex-beauty queen Carrie Prejean reportedly doesn’t have to repay Miss California USA pageant organizers for the $5,200 they allegedly paid for her breast implants or give them any of the proceeds of a forthcoming tell-all book. But she’s also getting a lot less than the $1 million she sought in…

Nov 5, 2009 7:04 PM CST

Dutch Court Backs Mom, Says 14 Is Too Young for Solo Global Sailing Trip

There’s no question that Laura Dekker is an accomplished sailor. And a psychological report says her social and emotional development wouldn’t be hindered by an around-the-world solo sailing trip. But 14 is too young to make the journey, a Dutch court ruled today, especially without a more comprehensive set of…

Oct 30, 2009 11:50 PM CDT

Bat-Maker Must Pay $850K to Family of Player Killed By Baseball

A Montana jury yesterday held that the maker of Louisville Slugger baseball bats must pay $850,000 to the family of a 18-year-old who was struck in the head by a batted ball at a 2003 American Legion game in Helena and died several hours later. Witnesses testified that they couldn’t…

Oct 29, 2009 8:38 PM CDT

Some Entertainment Contracts Go Beyond Earthly Boundaries

Contract lawyers for entertainment companies are trying to cover all the bases with contracts that assert rights to revenue streams not only on Earth, but throughout the universe. Law professors differ on whether the contracts are overkill, the Wall Street Journal reports. University of Pennsylvania law school lecturer Ken Adams…

Oct 29, 2009 1:38 PM CDT

Teen Girls Probed in Lohan, Hilton, Bloom Burglary Cases in L.A.

Seven teenage girls and young women—many of whom knew each other from high school—are being probed in an ongoing investigation of a multimillion-dollar celebrity burglary ring in the Los Angeles area. Several of the suspects, who currently are 18 and 19, have been arrested but have not been charged in…

Oct 26, 2009 11:35 PM CDT

Air Jordans Worn By MJ’s Son Put $1.9M UCF Deal With Adidas at Risk

Seems officials at the University of Central Florida promised Marcus Jordan he could wear the Nike Air Jordan shoes pioneered by his famous dad, legendary professional basketball star Michael Jordan, while playing college ball for the UCF Knights this season. But Marcus Jordan’s shoe selection hasn’t gone over well with…

Oct 22, 2009 8:12 PM CDT

TLC Hits Jon Gosselin With Breach of Contract Suit

In a sign that litigation and legal wranglings may outlive the popular reality show Jon & Kate Plus 8, TLC has sued Jon Gosselin for breach of contract. ABC News reports that the lawsuit, filed today in Maryland, claims Gosselin hasn’t met the obligations of his contract as an exclusive…

Oct 16, 2009 3:50 PM CDT

No Royalties for Ringtones, Judge Rules

Dismissing a music industry copyright claim, a federal judge has ruled that a ringing mobile phone is not the same as a portable concert. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, known as ASCAP, was attempting to collect more royalties from individuals who already pay ringtone royalties when they…

Oct 16, 2009 12:15 PM CDT