Disney – Overlawyered

“Scooter Accidents Leading to Big Ticket Claims at Disney Parks”

Walter Olson — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 09:59:31 +0000

Scooters at Disney parks “have brought on a rise of civil lawsuits filed by people complaining about being run over or drivers saying they were injured.” However, because of ADA considerations — they’re an assistive mobility device — the park cannot ban them, and even attempts at lesser restrictions, such as speed limits, would quickly run into legal constraints: “any rule would likely require the U.S. Department of Justice’s approval,” according to a disability rights attorney. [Gabrielle Russon, Insurance Journal]

Tags: amusement parks, disabled rights, Disney, safety

“Scooter Accidents Leading to Big Ticket Claims at Disney Parks” is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

October 17 roundup

Walter Olson — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 09:56:32 +0000

Antitrust legislation once targeted the unstoppable rise of chain stores A&P and Sears, both now bankrupt [my new Cato post, quoting Joe Nocera, Bloomberg (“The next time you hear somebody say that the dominance of Walmart or Amazon or Facebook can never end, think about Sears. It can — and it probably will.”)]
When you wish upon a suit: visitor grabs Disney cast member and screams at her after she asks him to move out of parade route, later pleads no contest to disorderly conduct, now wants $15,000 [Gabrielle Russon, Orlando Sentinel]
Tomorrow (Thurs.) at noon Eastern, watch a Cato panel on “Coercive Plea Bargaining” with Scott Hechinger of Brooklyn Defender Services, Bonnie Hoffman of the NACDL, and Somil Trivedi of the ACLU, moderated by Cato’s Clark Neily. Could you resist taking a plea bargain if faced with a false accusation? [Marc John Randazza, ABA Journal]
“I am a Democrat. But this may be the dumbest thing I have seen…. the Speech or Debate Clause makes about as clear as anything in the Constitution that a court cannot enjoin legislative officials from taking a fundamental legislative action such as a vote.” [Howard Wasserman on suit by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) asking court to, among other things, order delay of Senate vote on Kavanaugh nomination]
An ideological screen for CLE? Following demands from tribal attorneys, Minnesota bar authorities order shelving of continuing legal education class on Indian Child Welfare Act developments taught by attorney Mark Fiddler, who often handles ICWA cases on side adverse to tribes [Timothy Sandefur]
Left-leaning Florida Supreme Court nixes plan to let incumbent Gov. Rick Scott fill vacancies, entrenching its leftward lean for a while at least depending on outcome of governor’s race [Spectrum News 9]

Tags: antitrust, crime and punishment, Disney, Florida, Indian tribes, judicial nominations, Senate, small business

October 17 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

February 28 roundup

Walter Olson — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 10:55:39 +0000

Eighth Circuit Cato amicus defends right of videographer couple in Minnesota not to film same-sex weddings for hire if they don’t care to [Ilya Shapiro and Reilly Stephens] Meanwhile: “California Court Upholds First Amendment Right Not to Bake Cake for Same-Sex Wedding” [Eugene Volokh, who takes a different side from Cato on expressive status of cake creation]
“It’s all about the shared love for Disney.” Is that why they’re suing? [Hugo Martin, Los Angeles Times]
“Whistleblower Lawyers See a Growth Area: Customs Fraud” [Henry Cutter, WSJ]
Supreme Court hears oral argument in Janus, the public employee union fees First Amendment case [Ilya Shapiro/Washington Examiner, SCOTUSBlog coverage by various authors, Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux/538, earlier]
Copyright: “US Judge dismisses Taylor Swift ‘haters’ case as too ‘banal'” [Mark Savage, BBC]
Dangerous for an advice letter from an NLRB lawyer to say that references to gender-based differences in James Damore memo “were discriminatory and constituted sexual harassment” Ken at Popehat, Robert VerBruggen/NRO, Jerome Woehrle]

Tags: Disney, First Amendment, harassment law, National Labor Relations Board, public employment, Supreme Court, whistleblowers

February 28 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

How to draw a certain familiar mouse

Walter Olson — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 11:13:28 +0000

Step 3: “Receive letter from Disney Legal.” [Mauricio Abril on Tumblr]

Tags: art and artists, Disney

How to draw a certain familiar mouse is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

Takedown notices sent over photos of purchased toy

Walter Olson — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 17:23:37 +0000

A firm representing Lucasfilm/Disney sent takedown notices to force removal from social media of photos of a newly issued Star Wars figurine that an unnamed fan had walked into a Wal-Mart and purchased in the usual manner. [Timothy Geigner, TechDirt]

Tags: copyright, Disney, fans as infringers, photography, social media

Takedown notices sent over photos of purchased toy is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

“New book asks if lawsuits and lawyers are taking the fun out of Disneyland”

Walter Olson — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 10:07:12 +0000

“The vast majority of operational changes at Disneyland in the last 10 years have been the result of lawsuits past, or in anticipation of lawsuits in the future,” [author Dave Koenig] said…. “People just have no common sense. Most activities have some inherent risk. It’s to the point where Disney’s tolerance for risk is zero. It used to be they expected that people would have some common sense.” [Orange County Register, profiling Koenig’s new book “The People v. Disneyland: How Lawsuits & Lawyers Transformed the Magic.”]

Tags: amusement parks, Disney

“New book asks if lawsuits and lawyers are taking the fun out of Disneyland” is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

Florida: No more claw machines, redemption arcades at Disney hotels

Walter Olson — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 15:10:46 +0000

Big Mouse is apparently afraid of getting sued on charges of operating a gambling establishment. [Orlando Sentinel]

Tags: Disney, gambling, recreation

Florida: No more claw machines, redemption arcades at Disney hotels is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

“Woman suing Disney, claims ‘Frozen’ is my life story”

Walter Olson — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 04:15:18 +0000

“…a list of motifs Tanikumi claims were taken from her book like: two sisters, open doors or gates, and a moon setting….A Disney spokeswoman responded to her claim, saying, ‘This is beyond ridiculous, she needs to let it go.'” [WAFF]

Tags: Disney, movies film and videos, right of publicity

“Woman suing Disney, claims ‘Frozen’ is my life story” is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

Disabled rights roundup

Walter Olson — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 04:05:58 +0000

Willingness of Connecticut courts to order accommodation of mental disorders is not limitless, as in case of “dazed and confused” teacher who “frequently reported to the wrong school or for the wrong class” [Chris Engler at Dan Schwartz’s Connecticut Employment Law Blog; Langello v. West Haven Board of Education]
“‘Seinfeld’ diner sued for not being handicap-friendly” [NY Post] Florida lawyers descend on New Jersey to file ADA suits [N.J. Civil Justice Institute]
“Plaintiffs want to expand lawsuit against Disney for how it treats guests with autism” [Orlando Sentinel]
It’s “sad that we need a federal appellate court to remind us” that ADA’s protection of alcoholism does not actually immunize worker fired after repeatedly driving municipal employer’s vehicles drunk [Jon Hyman, Ohio Employer Law Blog]
“Employers beware: EEOC appears to be stepping up disability discrimination enforcement” [Hyman] EEOC sues Wal-Mart over firing of intellectually disabled employee [Rockford Register-Star, EEOC]
Nice crowd your ADA racket attracts, California [Modesto Bee]
Argument: Employers that use “emotional intelligence” measurement in evaluating job applicants may be violating ADA rights of those with autism [Michael John Carley, HuffPo]

Tags: ADA filing mills, autism, Connecticut, disability & schools, disabled rights, Disney, NYC

Disabled rights roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

“Families of autistic kids sue Disney parks over policy on lines”

Walter Olson — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 10:13:58 +0000

“Families with autistic children have sued Walt Disney Co., alleging the company does not provide adequate access to theme park visitors with autism who have difficulty waiting in long lines for rides.” [Reuters/Chicago Tribune]

Tags: amusement parks, disabled rights, Disney

“Families of autistic kids sue Disney parks over policy on lines” is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system