All posts containing the tag: "lawyer"
Posted Oct 29th 2009 3:00PM by TMZ Staff
Larry Johnson's agent claims he's appealing the KC Chiefs decision to suspend the running back for dropping a gay slur this week -- but the real story is that the agent claims he "didn't realize" the F-word was offensive in the first place.
TMZ spoke with Peter Schafer -- who is also Johnson's lawyer -- who explained:
"We know the N-word is unacceptable, that's not disputable -- but f*g? I'm learning that there's a segment of our society that finds it offensive and that it should not be used. I didn't realize that, but I do know now..."
FYI -- Johnson was suspended for conduct deemed "detrimental to the team."
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives
Tags: agent, larry johnson, LarryJohnson, lawyer, suspended
Posted Oct 21st 2009 12:51PM by TMZ Staff
Jon Gosselin may be on the hunt for a new lawyer soon, because we've learned the person who sponsored New York attorney Mark Heller to appear on Gosselin's behalf in Pennsylvania has formally made a motion with the court to withdraw his support.
Attorney Mike Marino filed his motion today, saying he wants to wash his hands of the whole case. Marino told us he had never had contact with Heller until Mr. Heller found him in a legal directory, cold called him and asked Marino to sponsor him for a one-time-only case -- Jon vs. Kate.
Marino says he had never heard of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" when he agreed to sponsor Heller. As Marino put it, "I don't watch that kind of junk on TV."
The judge will schedule a hearing on Marino's motion. We also learned Marino sent the judge a letter last week requesting out of the whole case.
If Heller doesn't find a new sponsor, he can't practice in PA.
Stay tuned ...
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Jon & Kate, Exclusives
Tags: court, jon gosselin, jon kate plus 8, JonGosselin, JonKatePlus8, kate gosselin, KateGosselin, lawyer, lawyers, mark heller, MarkHeller, mike marino, MikeMarino
Posted Oct 14th 2009 4:30PM by TMZ Staff
Howard K. Stern's lawyer said just because Anna Nicole Smith's former bodyguard testified Howard liquefied Valium and injected it into Anna does not make it true.
Steve Sadow said when he cross-examines "Big Moe" tomorrow, there will be plenty of reasons for "serious doubt."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Anna Nicole Smith
Tags: Anna Nicole Smith, AnnaNicoleSmith, drugs, howard k stern, HowardKStern, lawyer
Posted Oct 4th 2009 2:42PM by TMZ Staff
Kate Gosselin is drawing the big gun -- we've learned she's hired legal pit bull Marty Singer to go after Jon Gosselin ... asking a judge to hold him in contempt of court for raiding their joint bank account to the tune of more than $200,000.
We've learned there is an existing court order prohibiting Jon or Kate from withdrawing any money from the account without the consent of both parties.
We've learned lawyers for Kate will go to Pennsylvania court tomorrow and argue that Jon has flagrantly violated that order, that he should be forced to return the money to the account and held in contempt.
Ironically, Jon suggested on "Larry King" he wanted to save the marriage -- at the same time he emptied the account.
Filed under: TV, Jon & Kate, Exclusives
Tags: bank account, BankAccount, court, joint, jon gosselin, JonGosselin, kate gosselin, KateGosselin, lawyer, marty singer, MartySinger
Posted Oct 1st 2009 4:39PM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned an attorney acting on behalf of at least two members of Michael Jackson's family will go to court tomorrow and ask the judge to boot named co-executor John Branca from the case, but there's something they don't know.
Attorney Brian Oxman -- the lawyer who pops up from time to time in the Jackson saga -- says he has a document proving Jackson fired Branca.
Branca served as Jackson's lawyer on and off for 29 years. Sources connected to Branca freely admit Jackson fired the lawyer in 1990, but rehired him 3 years later. We're also told Branca quit Michael in 2006 because Jackson insisted on hiring "advisors" Branca believed would do great harm to MJ.
A month before Jackson died, he began conversations with Branca, saying he wanted him back in the fold. We've learned on June 17, eight days before Jackson died, Jackson signed a letter hiring Branca back as his lawyer.
Howard Weitzman, a lawyer for the estate, confirmed, "In mid-June, Michael Jackson retained John Branca to represent him as general and entertainment counsel in his business and personal affairs." Weitzman added, "The letter retaining Branca was shared with lawyers for Katherine Jackson very early in the probate proceedings."
Attorney Londell McMillan, who reps Katherine Jackson, tells TMZ "We will not comment on what we will do tomorrow." McMillan also had no comment on Brian Oxman, but did say he had "valuable information."
Filed under: Michael Jackson, Exclusives
Tags: attorney, John Branca, JohnBranca, lawyer, Michael Jackson, MichaelJackson
Posted Oct 1st 2009 12:01PM by TMZ Staff
John Travolta's lawyer just testified the whole extortion plot was hatched because one of the defendants was starstruck.
Michael McDermott testified he got the call from Pleasant Bridgewater ten days after Jett died. He said Pleasant told him her client had a "Refusal of Transport/Treatment" document signed by Travolta and felt it was worth a lot of money.
Now get this: McDermott said Pleasant said her client, paramedic Tarino Lightbourne, had kept the document instead of turning it in ... because it was "signed by a celebrity."
McDermott said Tarino shopped the document -- which Tarino proved Travolta either intentionally killed his son or recognized he was negligent in the supervision of the child.
Tarino thought the doc was firm evidence Travolta wanted to flee the jurisdiction with his son's dead body.
McDermott said Pleasant told him ... "put it this way, the doc can be John's or the world's."
McDermott says Bridgewater acknowledged it was extortion, but Tarino didn't care.
Filed under: John Travolta
Tags: document, jett, john travolta, JohnTravolta, lawyer, pleasant bridgewater, PleasantBridgewater, tarino lightbourne, TarinoLightbourne, testify
Posted Sep 30th 2009 7:01PM by TMZ Staff
Randy and Evi Quaid's lawyer just told the Santa Barbara County D.A. they will be front and center in court on October 19 for their arraignment on three felony counts. Their defense ... it was all just a giant misunderstanding.
The D.A.'s office tells us the Quaids' lawyer said the couple -- who have been accused of skipping out on a $10,000 bill at the San Ysidro Ranch -- didn't think they had to pay the bill before they left ... they thought they could pay at a later date.
The lawyer tells us the bill got lost in the mail because they moved -- and the couple has now paid the bill in full.
The D.A. is not ready to drop the charges and will be all ears on Oct 19.
Stay tuned.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Exclusives
Tags: evi quaid, EviQuaid, lawyer, randy quaid, RandyQuaid, san ysidro ranch, santa barbara, SantaBarbara, SanYsidroRanch
Posted Sep 17th 2009 9:19AM by TMZ Staff
Ben Roethlisberger's lawyer claims any idiot could figure out the woman who's accusing him of sexual assault is a fraud and he wants the judge to nail her lawyer for filing a "frivolous and abusive" lawsuit.
Andrea McNulty accused the Pittsburgh Steelers' QB of sexually assaulting her at a Lake Tahoe hotel in July, 2008. She filed a civil lawsuit a year later.
In the new legal papers, Roethlisberger's lawyer claims McNulty's attorney knew or should have known his client's suit was bogus. Roethlisberger wants McNulty's lawyer formally sanctioned by the judge -- which, among other things, could mean he would have to pay Roethlisberger's attorney's fees.
Roethlisberger's lawyer says the suit is "designed to harass and embarrass him [Big Ben] and countless other individuals," adding the explicit content in her lawsuit is designed "to stir the prurient interests of the media and public."
Roethlisberger's lawyer says even a casual investigation of the facts would have proven McNulty to be a liar. Among other things, Roethlisberger's lawyer claims McNulty told a co-worker she wanted to have sex with Ben and she wanted him to get her pregnant. She also allegedly sent an email less than 24 hours after her sexual encounter with Ben, stating she was looking forward to having dinner with him.
And there's this -- Ben's lawyer cites a letter written by McNulty's attorney, which reads in part: "Our client is currently struggling with whether or not she wants to come forward and seek criminal prosecution of the celebrity."
Ben's lawyer wants the judge to throw the book at his legal adversary.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports, Exclusives
Tags: andrea mcnulty, AndreaMcnulty, attorney, Ben Roethlisberger, BenRoethlisberger, lawsuit, lawyer, pittsburgh steelers, PittsburghSteelers, sanctions, sexual assault, SexualAssault
Posted Sep 16th 2009 10:34AM by TMZ Staff
Alright, so this one is a few degrees of separation -- a few hundred degrees Fahrenheit -- but a fire in the Hollywood hills is ravaging the house of some big lawyer ... who happens to be hooking up with a really hot Ukrainian model.
The fire is raging right now -- turning a huge house belonging to attorney Brian Witzer (inset) into a smoking hot pile of rubble. And speaking of things that are smoking hot ... Witzer's fiancee is 24-year-old model/television host Larysa Poznyak.
We feel for Witzer, but at least he has two really hot shoulders to cry on ... check out the gallery.
Tags: brian witzer, BrianWitzer, fire, larysa poznyak, LarysaPoznyak, lawyer, model
Posted Jul 14th 2009 2:03PM by TMZ Staff
Debbie Rowe's lawyer Eric George says the story that Rowe won't seek custody of the kids she bore for Michael Jackson in return for a cool $4 million is "completely false."
Eric George told CNN that no deal has been reached. Jackson's legal team said last week they were trying to "amicably resolve" the custody issues with Rowe.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: child custody, ChildCustody, debbie rowe, DebbieRowe, lawyer, michael jackson, MichaelJackson
Posted Jul 4th 2009 9:50AM by TMZ Staff
How'd you like to have had Michael Jackson by your side when you exchanged your wedding vows?
Check out this photo of Michael Jackson with his lawyer, John Branca, at Branca's wedding in 1987. Jackson served as best man.
Branca worked for Jackson from 1980-2006, and was then re-hired by Jackson weeks before his death. Branca was named co-executor of Jackson's will.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: best man, BestMan, john branca, JohnBranca, lawyer, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, wedding photo, WeddingPhoto, will
Posted Jun 29th 2009 2:04PM by TMZ Staff
Initial papers have been filed with the court to probate Michael Jackson's estate. But it seems Jackson's mom and dad don't know Jackson had a will.
The petition was filed by Michael's parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson. But here's the thing. The papers say Jackson died "intestate" -- that means, without a will.
But we've learned Jackson's long-time lawyer, John Branca, who just came back on board 3 weeks ago, has a will Jackson signed that he intends to file within 30 days.
The petition asks that Katherine be named as administrator of the will ... meaning she wants to call the shots.
The papers say Debbie Rowe will be served with notice of a hearing.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: court, estate, joe jackson, JoeJackson, katherine jackson, KatherineJackson, lawyer, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, probate, will
Posted Mar 18th 2009 2:12PM by TMZ Staff
The ex of Jimmy Iovine may have thought she was the one doing the dumping when she filed for divorce last week, but apparently Jimmy checked out of the marriage long before she did.
According to Jimmy's response filed yesterday, the couple separated on January 15. But Vicky Iovine is under the impression the marriage ended a month later on February 15.
And get this -- despite being worth more than almost everyone, Jimmy wants each side to pay their own legal fees.
But Jimmy's got one powerful thing on his side -- Disso Queen Laura Wasser is his lawyer.
Filed under: Music, Dirty Divorces
Tags: attorney, divorce, Interscope Records, InterscopeRecords, Jimmy Iovine, JimmyIovine, Laura Wasser, LauraWasser, lawyer, marriage, Vicky Iovine, VickyIovine
Posted Mar 16th 2009 11:58AM by TMZ Staff
The warrant issued for Lindsay Lohan's arrest was just recalled.
Lohan's lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, made quick work of it in a hearing that lasted minutes. S.C.H. showed proof of compliance and that was that. Lindsay didn't show.
Lohan will enroll in a new alcohol education program -- apparently she had "personality conflicts" with her old one -- and will be back in court to prove it on April 3.
So much for those bogus stories that the hearing was about a driver's license...
Story developing ...
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Lindsay Lohan
Tags: arrest, DUI, lawyer, Lindsay Lohan, LindsayLohan, Shawn Chapman Holley, ShawnChapmanHolley, warrant
Posted Mar 16th 2009 11:14AM by TMZ Staff
We know more now about Lindsay Lohan's court appearance and why there's a warrant out for her arrest.
The alcohol ed program director told the court Lindsay missed three days of classes in a 21-day period. But we're told the argument is that two of the absences were excused. That leaves one, and as we've already reported Lindsay's excuse for being a no show was the paparazzi made it impossible for her.
Lindsay's lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, will be arriving shortly without her client.
Stay tuned.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Lindsay Lohan
Tags: arrest, lawyer, Lindsay Lohan, LindsayLohan, Shawn Chapman Holley, ShawnChapmanHolley, warrant
