In a long -awaited judgment, a judge has found that CaA A writer did not steal the idea of a TV show to give a high-profile client.
But Judge Kerry Benninger also found that the agency had the responsibility of being loyal and honest towards customers, and can violate that duty when he puts the author in a secret list of underperformers.
John MuseroWriter in question, Saw the agency Back in 2019, claiming that his agent, Andrew Miller stole his view to a show about Attorney General, which was titled “Chief justice“Another Miller Client, Sasha Penn later sold a pilot to CBS for an Attorney General Show, also known as” Chief Justice “. Although the pilot was produced, the show was not picked up.
In Musero’s trial, it was alleged that there were several similarities between the two pilot scripts. The two opened with a car accident and closed with an attempt to murder on the Attorney General. The two also had terrorism subplots and the basketball consisted of a rhythm between the justice system and the referee.
A former in-house lawyer Mussaro at Columbia Pictures first worked on the Aaron Sorkin show “The News Room”. He argued that his “main justice” script was written in a Sorkin-Sask, “West Wing” style and the pen script adopted the same sensitivity.
The judge found that Musero could not claim that Penn had copied the “West Wing” style from him, it is more admirable that the two writers took it from the “West Wing”.
“Each ‘main justice’ project’s style and pacing is responsible for the same influential television shows – ‘The West Wing,’ Banninger wrote.” Next, in a legal -political project such as DOJ Television drama, ‘West Wing’ style is a common type of presentation. ”
The judge also ruled that most other similarities were unsafe, and also found decisive evidence that Penn independently wrote his script to his agent before presenting his script to his agent.
A spokesman for the agency said in a statement, “CAA has been satisfied with the judge’s decision, dismissing John Musero’s claim that the CAA incorrectly explained its views for a pilot.” “Andrew Miller has always worked with integrity. He is a world -class agent whose success track record speaks about his hard work, expertise, care and anxiety for the best interests of his customers. We are finally pleased to move beyond these baseless allegations.”
In 2016, the CAA placed Mussaro on its “underperforming writers” list and its “cutting” list – without telling him that he was in danger of being dropped. Musaro argued that his agents effectively stopped working on his behalf, causing damage to his career, and that Fiduri is for violation of duty.
In his proposal for the summary decision, CAA lawyers stated that they have “no right to support a talent agent or agency, which credits the duties of loyalty and honesty for customers” and therefore the “blacklisting” claim should be thrown out.
Benninger turned his hand over that notion.
Bannner wrote, “The defendants are worked hard to argue on the proposal that a talent agent can work dishonestly, unevenly and contrary to his customer’s best interests,” Bansinger wrote, a talent agent has the duty to work with the best good faith in the best interests of his customer. ,
Has the CAA failed to maintain the duty in relation to Mussaro, which will be up to a jury to decide. Mousero has to show that he was damaged by alleged blacklisting to reinforce him. A test is scheduled for 27 October.
On 1 April, the decision of the Bensder was issued to the parties. On Wednesday, a rearflated version was made public.
Musero’s lawyers have sought to ignore some records, while the CAA has demanded to keep its internal interaction confidential, especially about the underperforming Writers List and Cutting List. When the two sides argued on the summary decision proposal on 21 March, the court was sealed.
