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Rob Lowe Spanks the Nanny in Court

Posted Apr 8th 2009 8:00AM by TMZ Staff

Rob LoweRob Lowe just won a huge victory in his bitter lawsuit against his former nanny -- and it's a decision that will have a big impact behind closed doors in Hollywood.

Lowe sued Laura Boyce for allegedly violating the confidentiality agreement she signed, by blabbing all over town that the Lowes did horrible things around her. Lowe claims Boyce was telling people his wife, Sheryl, did things like walk around naked in front of the nanny and comment about the penis size of the nanny's boyfriend -- claims the Lowes deny.

In a stunning decision yesterday, the judge in the case rejected Boyce's claim that the confidentiality agreement was invalid, on grounds it violated her freedom of speech rights.

The judge has effectively told a bunch of celebrities it's still safe to hire help and make them sign agreements that they won't spill secrets for fun or financial gain.



Tags: allegedly violating confidentiality agreement, AllegedlyViolatingConfidentialityAgreement, bitter lawsuit, BitterLawsuit, case rejected, CaseRejected, court, former nanny, FormerNanny, gloria allred, GloriaAllred, hollywood, huge victory, HugeVictory, judge, laura boyce, LauraBoyce, lawsuit, Lowe sued Boyce, LoweSuedBoyce, nanny, rob lowe, Rob Lowe spanks nanny in court, RobLowe, RobLoweSpanksNannyInCourt, sheryl

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1. He's LONG on spanking.

Posted at 1:07AM on Apr 8th 2009 by Meknowyoudon\\\'t

2. celebs are nuts, money = power doesnt always - brains.

Posted at 1:08AM on Apr 8th 2009 by Holly C

3. I guess its harder to black mail than the nanny thought.
Glad to hear a signed contract is still protection!
The real victums seem to be the Lowes....

Posted at 1:28AM on Apr 8th 2009 by James

4. I am glad it is going well with Rob Lowe and his wife.. You go, Rob!!

Posted at 1:24AM on Apr 8th 2009 by Joanne

5. BREAKING NEWS---------------------------
TMZ is running out of stories.

Posted at 1:33AM on Apr 8th 2009 by Meknowyoudon\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

6. The plaintiff's lawyers made the wrong argument in this case. The argument should have been this instead. The confidentiality agreement should not shield those who break the law, and use such agreements as cover for the breaking of the law. The plaintiff's claims that she was the target of sexual harrassment, as well as a victim of a hostile working environment should not be undermined due to the restrictions placed forth in the non-disclosure agreement, which were drafted to ensure the personal privacy of the defendants, and not intended to interdict a witness from reporting a crime or crimes. The plaintiff was a victim of multiple crimes while under the employ of the defendants, and was retaliated against after the fact, when she stood up for her rights and came forward to report said crimes. Plaintiff has the right to file a lawsuit as her civil human rights were infringed upon. Further, she has a right to make these claims, as detailed in the lawsuit, and upon the filing said claims with the police, and or, in court, has the right to discuss the content of said reports and or court filings, therein.


Under the the spirit of the law in which a non-disclosure agreement is drafted, it is not designed to be misused in order to protect employers who commit crimes, and hide behind legal clauses in contracts, such as found in this very non-disclosure agreement. For instance, if the plaintiff witnessed a murder or a rape as committed by her employers, should any pre-existing non-disclosure agreement trump the validity of the witness' claims, even if in violation of said agreement? The spirit of the law would suggest not! This judge is wrong, and hence, should be overturned on appeal.

Posted at 3:16AM on Apr 8th 2009 by Omni

7. Rob Lowe wouldn't be in this mess if he had not have married a man in drag.......who would want to watch her ass naked???? If she was hot the nanny would not have spoken up!

Posted at 3:54AM on Apr 8th 2009 by Terri

8. Cruel or selfish..I wonder.

Posted at 4:22AM on Apr 8th 2009 by Kenneth

9. Someone needs a spanking.

Posted at 4:32AM on Apr 8th 2009 by Kenneth

10. You can't just say one thing and do nothing. Same ol' same ol'.

Posted at 4:40AM on Apr 8th 2009 by Kenneth

11. Good on ya judge. You sign a contract, you dumb enuf not to read the fine print or get a lawyer to do it for you, then you live with the consequences.

Posted at 4:56AM on Apr 8th 2009 by JB

12. hopefully this got videotaped like Rob's last show...

Posted at 6:41AM on Apr 8th 2009 by ilovetheshowmadmen

13. Nobody gives a rats ass about Lowe or his nanny! TMZ is is incapable of posting stories of relevance!

Posted at 6:58AM on Apr 8th 2009 by Missy

14. Ah, veddy veddy interesting. Does the law also forbid gossip shows & websites for repeating such secrets for fun or profit? I mean hell, if freedom of speech rights don't mean jack to this judge, what about freedom of the press, hmmmm?

Posted at 8:11AM on Apr 8th 2009 by Emergency Broadcast System

15. I agree with the judge. She signed a valid contract, no different than the confidentiality agreements involving trade secrets in businesses or military secrets in government. The Lowe's "secrets" are trivial nonsense, but why should that matter?

Posted at 8:21AM on Apr 8th 2009 by Kay

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