Browse Celebrity Lawsuits Articles

Beasties, The Godfather of Funky Soul and Pretty Women: When Does "Sampling" Other Artists' Music Equal Copyright Infringement?

In the early 90's song "Pass the Mic," the Beastie Boys used a six second segment from jazz flutist James Newton's composition "Choir" prompting him to sue on the grounds of copyright infringement despite a licensing fee. You can protect yourself by compensating the artist through a license. But, how much of someone else's work can you use without a license? more...

Michelle Fabio, Esq - Sep 2011 - Copyrights
10 Celebrities Convicted of Tax Evasion

Despite tax evasion being a serious crime that can bring steep penalties and even jail time, there are still those who try to avoid paying their taxes. As we finish up our own taxes this tax season, here are 10 high-profile tax evasion cases that are a reminder of what can happen when you don’t pay your taxes—even to the rich and famous. more...

Geoffrey O’Brian - Apr 2011 - Celebrity Lawsuits
10 Famous People Who Died Without a Will

When someone famous suffers an untimely death, how they managed their personal affairs comes to light. For these ten celebrities, the effects of their lack of planning had far-reaching consequences. For one, Jimi Hendrix, the legal battle over his estate has lasted for 30 years. Read more about this and other real-world examples of what not to do as you plan your own estate. more...

Heleigh Bostwick - Mar 2011 - Celebrity Lawsuits
Superhero Intellectual Property Disputes

Force fields are no protection against copyright and trademark lawsuits. Many of our best-loved superheroes (and the millions of dollars they rake in) have been the subjects of intellectual property disputes. It takes authors, comic book publishers, and movie studios to build iconic superhero franchises, but who gets the credit—and the cash—for bringing our heroes to life? more...

Bilal Kaiser - Oct 2010 - Intellectual Property Basics
Sammy Davis, Jr.'s Son Tests LegalZoom Last Will in Court

The rights to most of the creative works of one of America’s great entertainers, Sammy Davis, Jr., have been awarded to his son, Manny, after a contentious will contest in Los Angeles County’s celebrity-drenched downtown courthouse. more...

C. Yoder - Jul 2010 - Celebrity Lawsuits
Mixing Marriage & Business: The McCourt Divorce

Mixing marriage and business has proven to be a formula for success for many Americans—and a recipe for disaster for others. For Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and his wife, Jamie, mixing marriage and business has produced one of the most expensive divorces in history. more...

C. Yoder - Jun 2010 - Celebrity Lawsuits
Most Expensive Celebrity Divorces

The Tiger Woods debacle has pundits speculating about a possible $300 million divorce. We’re no pundits, but can we can report the most expensive celebrity divorces to date. more...

Heleigh Bostwick - Feb 2010 - Celebrity Lawsuits
Litigation Gone Wild

At the end of the year, we all love a good countdown. So before moving on to the New Year, let's take a look at the top five lawsuits that left us shaking our heads, laughing out loud, or just plain puzzled.

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Lisa C. Johnson, Esq. - Dec 2009 - Celebrity Lawsuits
Lessons from Letterman: Interoffice Romance

Even if you're not a David Letterman fan, you've probably heard about the "office romance" gone awry involving the late night talk show host and married father. In case you missed it, here's a recap. In early October 2009, there was an alleged attempt at extortion by CBS news producer Robert Halderman regarding several of Letterman's previous alleged romantic trysts at the office. To head off the extortion attempt, Letterman confessed on-air that he had previously had affairs with some of his office staff, and the following evening he also apologized to his wife and staffers at the show for his behavior.

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Heleigh Bostwick - Nov 2009 - Celebrity Lawsuits
Nastiest Celebrity Divorces

Celebrities are known for excess and exaggeration, and for them their divorces are no less extreme. Accusations of infidelity, physical, emotional, alcohol and drug abuse are commonplace. It's rivals anything heard in the high school campus. Though countless breakups are ugly, we have a round-up of the truly nastiest celebrity divorces. more...

Michelle Fabio - Aug 2008 - Divorce