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Photo-retouch blogging draws lawyer nastygram
On Tuesday night, I received an aggressive and threatening letter from Martin Singer, Demi Moore’s attorney. It is marked “Confidential Legal Notice – Publication or Dissemination is Prohibited”. However, since Mr. Singer and I have no confidentiality agreement, and it provides essential context to the matter at hand, I have decided to publish it.
Citrano’s original post on Boing Boing discussed evidence that a Vanity Fair cover photo of the actress had been retouched. Now Boing Boing reports that it too, as well as other blogs such as Jezebel, have received nastygrams from Singer, and responds with new evidence on the retouching question. And it adds:
Yes, the discussion at hand is only about an image of a celebrity on the cover of a fashion magazine. But the ability to freely discuss the provenance and technical history of a photo, including those with more crucial news value — say, images of detainee abuse, or Iranian missiles — is a freedom we believe should be preserved.
On the Lavely & Singer firm’s “don’t you dare print this nastygram” demands, see, e.g., this earlier post. More: Scott Greenfield.
Update: O’Quinn estate will refund $46.5 million to implant clients
As longtime readers of this site know well, the late mass tort king John O’Quinn nicked the accounts of breast implant plaintiffs with a fortune in unauthorized overcharges. Austin attorney Terry Scarborough, who spent ten years helping get some of the money back, “says he could have built a practice based on people itching to sue O’Quinn, whose generosity toward charitable and Democratic causes was shadowed by a reputation for stiffing fellow attorneys — a mortal sin in the practice of law.” [Austin American-Statesman, Texas Lawyer]
Canada: STDs not insurable “accident”
“The Supreme Court of Canada has taken away a $200,000 insurance award made to a Vancouver man who became paralyzed after a series of medical calamities arising from him having unprotected sex.” [The Globe and Mail]
Caesarean births up 30% in NYC since 2000
“A rapidly growing number of Big Apple moms are delivering their babies by Caesarean sections, with convenience and doctors’ fears of malpractice lawsuits fueling the dangerous trend according to a study by the nonprofit group Choices in Childbirth.” [NY Post/MyFox Boston]
Dead from eating bad oysters?
No, it turns out, very much alive, and now a Florida couple may have to give back that $2 million insurance payout [Sioux Falls, S.D. Argus-Leader via Obscure Store]
“Car dealer tells man to delete Facebook, Twitter posts …. or else!”
A nastygram from Route 60 Hyundai [Obscure Store, TC Palm, Florida]
Federalist Society pro bono center
It’s a little-heralded gem, as I can confirm from personal experience [Somin, Volokh]
“Penguin v Steinbeck Estate re: The Pearl”
The 1947 novella always did seem to evoke the process of litigation on some psychological level, and here’s a literal lawsuit that arose from it just lately [Schwimmer, Trademark Blog]
Update: “Pizza Hut and cop prevail in door injury claim”
Possibly bringing to an end an odd door-swing case that we last blogged two years ago [Madison County, Ill. Record]