2010 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News Archives

October 19, 2010: Superman Lawsuit Delayed by Appeal

Superman Court Case HollywoodReporter.com has published an article updating us on the latest events in the on-going legal dispute over the rights to Superman.

    As you'll recall, Warners and its DC Comics division are embroiled in an epic fight over rights to the Man of Steel. After a judge ruled a few years back that the studio might lose certain copyrights associated with the character, Warners went on the offensive. The studio hired aggressive new lawyers and sued Marc Toberoff, attorney for the Siegels and Shusters, claiming Toberoff improperly convinced the families to back out of deals and terminate their lucrative copyright assignments relating to Superman.

    In fighting back at that lawsuit, Toberoff filed a bunch of motions seeking to dismiss the complaint and have it declared a violation of his free speech rights under California's anti-SLAPP law. Warners then amended its lawsuit slightly, prompting Toberoff to file his motions again. But the judge ruled the anti-SLAPP motion moot due to the amended complaint.

    Still with us? It's pretty complicated, but in a nutshell, as Warners pressed forward with its case, including noticing the depositions of the Siegel and Shuster heirs, Toberoff appealed the order saying the anti-SLAPP motion was mooted. And Friday, on the eve of a scheduled hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright, the judge stayed the entire case against Toberoff pending resolution of that appeal.

    That means the studio's controversial litigation against Toberoff sits on ice temporarily.

Read the complete report at HollywoodReporter.com.



2010 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News

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