Lawsuit

Lisa Marie Presley Sues Tabloid Over Weight Gain Story

Mandi Illuzzi — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 08:44:30 -0400

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The mom-to-be is "upset" over an article saying she's "gained weight like her father Elvis"

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Lisa Marie Presley is suing British newspaper the Daily Mail for libel for a story claiming she was "piling on the pounds" and "has gained weight like her father Elvis."

Her attorney Simon Smith said the mom-to-be, 40, is "deeply upset and offended by this article, especially as it was widely published just as she and her family were meant to be celebrating her happy news," according to a statement released to Reuters.

In a post on her MySpace page last week, Presley said she felt forced to announce her pregnancy after British tabloids and Web sites (Usmagazine.com never reported on the singer) began viciously speculating on her weight gain.

“Now that things are confirmed, hopefully they can stop all of the harassment, and I can stop dodging the continuous bullets,” she wrote.

“It is unfortunate that I couldn't have announced something that is this much of a blessing and that has made us so incredibly happy under better circumstances.”

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Lisa Marie Presley front row at Marc Bouwer Spring 2008 Collection on September 10, 2007 in New York City.

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Woman Sues Lindsay Lohan for Alleged Carjacking

Mandi Illuzzi — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:54:04 -0500

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The plaintiff claims she thought she was "being carjacked" by the actress in a Santa Monica parking lot

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Lindsay Lohan may be heading back to court again soon.

Tracie Rice, who was in a car driven by Michele Peck, the mother of Lohan's assistant, when Lohan chased their car to the Santa Monica Police department on July 24, has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Rice, who originally filed the suit last August, added papers with more claims in December, according to the Associated Press. She is seeking unspecified damages.

After the incident, Dina Lohan released a statement that said: "We are doing everything in our power in support of Lindsay and I won't give up - this is my daughter and we love her."

Shortly after the alleged carjacking, Lohan, 21, was charged with DUI and possession of a controlled substance.

Then, on August 5, Lohan admitted she was "addicted to alcohol and drugs" and checked into Utah's Cirque Lodge for treatment.

She served an 84-minute jail sentence as a result of her July arrest and a separate DUI on May 26.

Rice claims she has spent about $7,000 on medical bills, including a therapist who charges $175 per visit, and lost her $60,000 per year job due to the chase.

In the original filing, Rice claimed that Lohan, 21, put she and Peck "at extreme risk of death or injury" until they arrived at the police station, where police met them with guns drawn, and that she "thought she was being carjacked."

Lohan recently took a sip of champagne in a party in Italy, but her lawyer says she's "back on track" and is now sober.

She's still facing court charges from Raymundo Ortega, a busboy at The Ivy, who is suing the actress for $200,000 in damages after a crash between his van and her Mercedes in Beverly Hills last October.

A rep for Lohan couldn't be reached for comment.

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Lindsay Lohan attends the 12th Annual Capri Hollywood International Film Festival on December 30, 2007 in Capri, Italy.

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Jessica Seinfeld Sued for Plagiarism in Cookbook Controversy

Peter G — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 19:44:41 -0500

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An author says Jessica "brazenly plagiarized" from her book and Jerry defamed her by calling her a "nut job"

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The author of a cookbook similar to Jessica Seinfeld's bestselling "Deceptively Delicious" has filed a federal lawsuit against Seinfeld and her comedian-husband.

According to documents obtained by The Smoking Gun, Missy Chase Lapine claims that Jessica's recipes "brazenly plagiarized" from her 2007 cookbook titled "The Sneaky Chef."

In the lawsuit, Lapine accuses Jerry Seinfeld of launching a "malicious, premeditated, and knowingly false and defamatory attack" on her after media reports noted similarities between the two books, which present recipes for getting kids to eat healthy food.

Lapine says in her complaint that earlier this year Seinfeld went on The Late Show With David Letterman and compared Lapine to the kind of "wackos" that had once stalked Letterman, adding that Lapine was a "three-name woman." Seinfeld joked, "If you read history, many of the three-name people do become assassins."

In the complaint, Lapine also accuses Seinfeld of calling Lapine a "nut job" in another TV interview.

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Jury Awards Toby Keith's Family $2.8 Million Over Death of His Father

ken — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 17:48:40 -0500

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The wrongful-death verdict against a bus company stems from a 2001 collision that killed the country star's dad

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Country music singer Toby Keith and his family have been awarded $2.8 million in damages for a 2001 collision on an Oklahoma interstate that killed Keith's father, H.K. Covel.

According to the Associated Press, a jury returned the verdict against the operators of Rodriguez Transportes of Tulsa and the Republic Western Insurance Co., finding that Covel would not have died if the company's bus had been equipped with properly working air brakes.

According to evidence presented at the wrongful-death trial, the charter bus that slammed into Covel's vehicle on I-35 was "in urgent need" of brake repairs before Covel was killed. The Rodriguezes reportedly had been advised of the brake problem before Covel's truck crossed the center divide and collided with the bus.

The verdict was returned last week. "The jury found no fault on the part of Mr. Covel in the wreck that claimed his life," the family's attorney said.

The plaintiffs awarded the damages include his wife Carolyn Covel, daughter Tonni Covel and sons Toby Keith Covel and Tracey Covel.

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Teri Hatcher Wins Small Court Victory in Lip-Plumping Case

Alissa R — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 18:00:00 -0500

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A judge rules that a skin care company has engaged in "character assassination" in its suit against the <i>Desperate Housewives</i> star

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An L.A. judge on Thursday called claims made in a lawsuit by skin care maker Hydroderm against Teri Hatcher "character assassination" of the "worst kind" and has delayed the company's motion to start depositions in the case.

Hydroderm sued Hatcher Tuesday, claiming she has endorsed a competing lip-plumping cream and thus owed them the $2.4 million that they had paid her to exclusively promote their products. The company alleges that Hatcher, 42, promoted City Cosmetics' lip-enhancing product in violation of their agreement.

In a statement released Wednesday, Hatcher denied any wrongdoing. "The allegations of this lawsuit are totally false and completely without merit," she said.

Hatcher's attorneys argue that the Desperate Housewives star has not breached her endorsement agreement, stating in court papers: "Ms. Hatcher has not entered into any agreement with any other cosmetic or skincare companies ... Ms. Hatcher has done absolutely nothing wrong and has been ready, willing, able and eager to perform."

In denying Hydroderm's motion to proceed with discovery, L.A. Superior Court Judge Helen Bendix said that the insinuations raised in court by Hydroderm about Ms. Hatcher were "character assassination" of the "worst kind."

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Teri Hatcher inside the Hollywood Life Style Awards at the Pacific Design Center on October 7, 2007 in West Hollywood, CA.

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$150,000 Breach of Contract Suit Against Vanessa Hudgens to Go Forward

Mandi Illuzzi — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:35:03 -0500

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An L.A. judge rules in favor of her former attorney, who claims the <i>High School Musical</i> star owes him back commissions

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Age isn't just a number for precocious High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens — and, according to a Los Angeles judge today, it's not an excuse to avoid legal woes.

On Wednesday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Tricia Ann Bigelow green-lighted a breach-of-contract suit by Hudgens' former attorney, Brian Schall, who contends that the almost 19-year-old actress owes him more than $150,000 in back commissions, according to E!.

Schall claims he helped her earn more than $5 million from her songwriting and recording career.

But Hudgens has called Schall's work "below professional standard."

She and her attorney had argued that she was just 16 when the contract with Schall was signed and cited California's Family Code, which says "the contract of a minor is voidable before [age 18] or within a reasonable time afterward."

But judge Bigelow said she waited too long — until she was 18 years and nine months old — before attempting to void the contract, allowing the case to proceed to either a motion for summary judgment or a jury decision, E! reports.

A hearing is set for January 15.

Hudgens should have no problem footing the bill: Usmagazine.com reported exclusively she scored a "substantial" raise to star in High School Musical 3. The movie will include a prom, she recently told Us.

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Vanessa Hudgens in Los Angeles, CA. on November 26, 2007.

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Kanye West, Evel Knievel Settle Suit

Alissa R — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:31:52 -0500

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They end their legal battle over the rapper's "Touch the Sky" video weeks after West's mother passes away

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Kanye West and Evel Knievel have settled their lawsuit, the Associated Press reports.

The iconic motorcycle daredevil, 69, had sued West for his 2006 "Touch the Sky" video, in which the rapper, 30, played a character called "Evel Kanyevel" who tried to jump a rocket-powered motorcycle over a canyon.

Knievel claimed the "vulgar and offensive" images hurt his reputation; West's attorneys called the video satire.

But on Tuesday, Knievel told the AP, "We settled the lawsuit amicably. I was very satisfied and so was he," adding that the rapper was "a wonderful guy and quite a gentleman."

He also expressed condolences for West, whose mother recently passed away following plastic surgery. Said Knievel, "I know he's had some tough times the past few weeks, and I hope things work out."

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Louis Vuitton Sues Britney Spears, Claiming She Damaged Its Image

Mandi Illuzzi — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 12:54:12 -0500

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The pop star used a knock-off Vuitton monogram in her 2005 video for “Do Something”

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Louis Vuitton to Britney Spears: Do not use our logo!

The French luxury company won a court injunction in Paris to keep the pop star’s 2005 “Do Something” video — in which Spears, 25, drives a pink Hummer with a counterfeit Vuitton “cherry blossom”- monogrammed dashboard — from airing on European TV stations, Women’s Wear Daily reports.

The civil court ruling also ordered the video’s producer to pay $117,600 for damages to Vuitton’s image, and $1,470 per day until the video is removed from the Internet.

Named in the suit are Spears’ record label, Jive, its parent company Zomba Label Group and Sony BMG and MTV Online, where the video has appeared.

Vuitton, Jive and reps for Spears did not respond to requests for comment from WWD.

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Britney Spears sighting on October 10, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.

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Britney's Former Manager Tells Us Why He's Suing Spears

Megan Lynn — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:46:22 -0400

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Johnny Wright says that while he has "a great deal of affection and empathy" for Spears, she owes him money.

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Between her hit-and-run in August and her custody battle with Kevin Federline, Britney Spears sure is keeping her lawyers busy!

And her attorneys got even more business handed to them on Thursday: A lawsuit filed against Spears by her former manager, Johnny Wright.

TMZ reports that while Spears, 25, and Wright parted ways in 2003, the manager claims she contractually owes him commissions for deals negotiated on her behalf through February 2008. And, according to Wright, Brit stopped paying in December of 2006.

Wright exclusively tells Usmagazine.com: "I have a great deal of affection and empathy for her. As you know, I was a part of her career from the early days, but we have contractual disagreements that unfortunately can only be resolved in the courts, despite my wishes!"

Perhaps Britney should start looking into real estate closer the courthouse.

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Britney Spears at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas.

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Howard K. Stern Sues Author Rita Cosby For Libel

Megan Lynn — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:40:07 -0400

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Stern claims allegations in Cosby's Anna Nicole Smith book are false.

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Usmagazine.com confirms that former Anna Nicole Smith lawyer Howard K. Stern has sued journalist Rita Cosby for libel. Stern's lawyer Lin Wood tells Us, "The libel lawsuit was filed this afternoon in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against Rita Cosby and her publisher, Hachette Book Group USA."

The lawsuit, which was first reported by CelebTV.com, asks for $60 million dollars in compensatory and punitive damages.

Former MSNBC anchor Cosby is the author of Blonde Ambition: The Untold Story Behind Anna Nicole Smith's Death. In the book, she writes that Stern, 38, and Larry Birkhead, Smith's former lover and the father of her daughter, Dannielynn, engaged in homosexual acts, which were caught on tape. Further, the book alleges that Stern and Birkhead struck a deal -- Birkhead would get custody of Dannielynn in exchange for Stern being named executor of Smith's estate.

Before the book's release, Birkhead, 34, told Us of Cosby's claims, "If this book is not sitting next to Harry Potter on the fiction shelf, then Rita Cosby is going to be wrapped in one of the most expensive lawsuits ever."

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Lisa Marie Presley Sues Tabloid Over Weight Gain Story

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Woman Sues Lindsay Lohan for Alleged Carjacking

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Jessica Seinfeld Sued for Plagiarism in Cookbook Controversy

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Jury Awards Toby Keith's Family $2.8 Million Over Death of His Father

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Kanye West, Evel Knievel Settle Suit

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