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Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA probate judge on Thursday overruled Jamie Spears’ objections to an order establishing Bessemer Trust Co. as a co-conservator of Britney Spears’ estate.Judge Brenda Penny appointed Bessemer as co-conservator along with Jamie Spears on Nov.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA Delaware judge has allowed CBS stockholders to sue over the 2019 merger of Viacom and CBS, finding a reasonable claim that former CBS chief Joseph Ianniello “sold” his support for the deal to Shari Redstone in exchange for a $125 million payout.Ianniello was president and chief operating officer under former CEO Les Moonves, and he sided with Moonves in trying to block the merger, arguing it would be bad for CBS.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA judge on Tuesday denied fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli’s request to get out of prison early, ruling that his case does not meet the extraordinary circumstances required for compassionate release.Giannulli, the husband of actress Lori Loughlin, is serving a five-month sentence at the federal facility in Lompoc, Calif., for his role in the college admissions scandal.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA federal judge on Friday urged William Morris Endeavor and the Writers Guild of America to set aside their “egos” and come to an agreement that would end the 20-month writers’ boycott.WME has asked Judge Andre Birotte to order an end to the boycott, which the agency argues is an illegal abuse of the guild’s power as a labor organization.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA federal judge in Washington, D.C., granted an injunction on Monday that will block the Trump administration from shutting down TikTok.There are now two injunctions preventing the administration from disabling the popular short-form video service. A judge in Philadelphia ordered a similar injunction on Oct.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA federal judge on Monday dismissed most of Rose McGowan’s civil claims against Harvey Weinstein and his attorneys, but allowed her to proceed with the argument that she was defrauded when she was tricked into revealing details of her memoir.McGowan filed the federal suit in October 2019, accusing Weinstein and attorneys Lisa Bloom and David Boies of conspiring to discredit her and to suppress her claim that Weinstein sexually assaulted her.As she was preparing

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit that accused the Hollywood Foreign Press Association of using its clout to control the market for overseas entertainment coverage.In a ruling issued on Friday, Judge Stanley Blumenfeld tossed the lawsuit brought by Kjersti Flaa, a Norwegian reporter who alleged that she had been repeatedly denied membership because she posed a competitive threat to other Scandinavian members.The HFPA has 85 members from around the world

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA federal judge dismissed a lawsuit on Thursday brought by President Donald Trump’s campaign regarding a CNN opinion piece that claimed the campaign was open to receiving Russian assistance.U.S. District Judge Michael L.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA Los Angeles judge ruled on Monday that the rape case against actor Danny Masterson can go forward, rejecting a defense argument that the allegations are too old to be prosecuted.Masterson, 44, is accused of raping three women at his home between 2001 and 2003. The former “That ’70s Show” actor could face 45 years to life in prison if convicted on all charges.He remains free on $3.3 million bail, and did not attend Monday’s hearing.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA grandson of Marvin Davis, the onetime owner of 20th Century Fox, is embroiled in a family dispute over an investment in Palantir Technologies, which is due to go public next week.Davis, a Denver oil wildcatter, bought 20th Century Fox in 1981 and later sold it to Rupert Murdoch. He died in 2004.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA judge in Florida agreed Thursday to transfer ex-prosecutor Linda Fairstein’s defamation lawsuit against Netflix to New York, finding that is a more appropriate venue for the case involving a TV series about the Central Park Five.Fairstein filed the suit in March, alleging that she was wrongfully depicted in “When They See Us” as a racist prosecutor who orchestrated the railroading of five innocent teenagers.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit accusing Tucker Carlson of slander for stating that a model who was paid $150,000 to stay quiet about her relationship with President Trump had engaged in “a classic case of extortion.”Karen McDougal filed the suit last year, alleging that Carlson had damaged her reputation by falsely accusing her of criminal conduct. U.S.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA screenwriter has filed a lawsuit against actor Gary Oldman and NBCUniversal, claiming that the film “Darkest Hour” lifted certain historical inventions from his unproduced Winston Churchill script.Ben Kaplan, a teacher and writer who has worked on several History Channel series, filed the suit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA judge handed a significant win to Nicki Minaj on Wednesday, finding that she did not commit copyright infringement when she created a song based on Tracey Chapman’s “Baby Can I Hold You.”The ruling protects the industry practice of developing a new song based on existing material, and then seeking a license from the original artist prior to release. U.S.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA judge on Tuesday denied Roman Polanski’s request to be reinstated to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, finding that the organization behind the Oscars had a right to expel him in May 2018.Polanski sued the Academy in April 2019, alleging that he had been thrown out without any warning and without a fair process. Polanski fled the United States in 1978, after pleading guilty to the rape of a 13-year-old girl.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA judge has dismissed an age discrimination claim brought by former “Simpsons” composer Alf Clausen, who was fired from the show in 2017.Judge Michael L.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA judge on Tuesday upheld an order closing movie theaters in New Jersey, finding that the state is not infringing on theaters’ First Amendment rights in its pandemic response.Judge Brian Martinotti denied a motion for an injunction, which had been sought by the National Association of Theatre Owners, the industry’s main lobbyist group, and six cinema chains.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA judge has ordered TV host Tavis Smiley to pay $2.6 million to the Public Broadcasting Service for having multiple affairs with his subordinates.A Washington, D.C., jury found in March that Smiley had breached the morals clause in his contract, following a three-week trial.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit brought by three songwriters who argue they should be credited for Lizzo’s hit “Truth Hurts.”Justin and Jeremiah Raisen, as well as Justin “Yves” Rothman, have alleged that the song is copied from “Healthy,” a track they wrote with Lizzo a few months before “Truth Hurts” was composed.In her ruling on Friday, Judge Dolly M.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA judge on Tuesday allowed Eko to proceed with its patent infringement lawsuit against Quibi, though she dismissed three of Eko’s nine claims against the streaming startup.U.S. District Judge Christina A.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA judge on Wednesday handed a significant win to AMC Networks in its long-running battle over profits from “The Walking Dead.”Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel J. Buckley held that the cable network was entitled to define “modified adjusted gross receipts” under the terms of its contracts with profit participants.Comic creator Robert Kirkman filed the suit in 2017, along with producers Gale Anne Hurd, Glen Mazzara and David Alpert.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA federal judge has upheld a state order closing movie theaters in Michigan, rejecting an owner’s claim that it infringed on his First Amendment right to hold a Juneteenth film festival.Emagine Royal Oak, a theater in the Detroit suburbs, sued Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and two other state officials on June 22, arguing that the state’s order amounted to an unlawful prior restraint on speech.But in a ruling on Thursday, U.S.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA federal judge in New Jersey on Tuesday denied the theater industry’s request for a temporary restraining order that would force the state to allow theaters to reopen.Judge Brian R. Martinotti also set a schedule for litigating the industry’s request for an injunction on the matter, with a hearing expected on or before Aug.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA federal judge has rejected a $46.8 million settlement of the Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct cases, saying some of its terms are “obnoxious” and it is not suitable for a class action.In a 20-minute hearing on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein said the settlement improperly nullifies claims of non-participating parties, and delegates his responsibilities as a judge to a special master.