Archive

Contract Law

Chuck D of Public Enemy Sues UMG for Underpayment of Royalties for Digital Downloads

January 17, 2012
Contract Law, Copyright, Intellectual Property, Music
Leave a Comment

This suit was filed a few months ago but it has just recently come under the Film. Esq. radar. On November 2, 2011, Carlton Douglas Ridenour (aka Chuck D of the musical group Public Enemy) filed a class action suit against UMG Recordings, Inc. (UMG) for various claims including breach of contract and violations of California and  New York’s unfair competition statutes. The factual basis for the claims arises from UMG’s alleged underpayment of artist royalties for digital downloads and ringtones under their standard master recording agreements. The complaint is available in PDF format at the bottom of the post.

  1. Ridenour v. Universal Music Group

 

 

Army Vet Claims James Cameron Turned His Ideas Into Avatar

December 24, 2011
Contract Law, Movies
Leave a Comment

In a lawsuit filed on December 13, 2011 in the United States District for the Central District of California, Army vet Gerald Morawski filed various contract and fraud claims against Lightstorm Entertainment and James Cameron for allegedly using his ideas to make the the film Avatar. In 1991, Morawski, who has worked in the visual effects industry, sold Lightstorm a set of images for James Cameron’s art gallery. He alleges that he entered discussions with the company to make a film called Guardians of the Eden. The detailed descriptions of the film contained in the complaint sounds strikingly similar to Avatar.  Of course, the validity of his claims is an entirely different matter. Although Morawski’s  illustrations were included as exhibits in the complaint (see below), they do not appear in the electronic document posted by the federal courts.

  1. Morawski v. Lightstorm Entertainment, et al