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Entertainment Law
Breach of Contract
Breach of Contract

PM Group v. Rod Stewart, et al.

Published: Apr. 26, 2005 | Result Date: Nov. 12, 2004 | Filing Date: Jan. 1, 1900 |

Case number: BC277357 Verdict –  $2,380,000

Judge

Judith C. Chirlin

Court

L.A. Superior Central


Attorneys

Plaintiff

Dennis Holahan

Michael K. Zweig


Defendant

Louis R. Miller III
(Miller Barondess LLP)

Kerry Garvis Wright


Experts

Plaintiff

Owen Sloane
(technical)

Facts

The plaintiff concert promoters offered Rod Stewart $2.1 million to go on a nine city Latin American concert tour.
Stewart's agents, lawyers and managers tentatively accepted and the parties started to negotiate the terms of the contract. The plaintiffs started to send deposits for the tour to the talent agency, ICM and to Stewart's lawyers. Five weeks before the first concert date, Stewart canceled the tour and kept the $780,000 in deposits already sent by the plaintiffs.

Result

Judgment was entered on jury verdict on Jan. 11, 2005.

Other Information

On Feb. 22, 2005, a hearing was held on two motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict brought by the defendants ICM and Steve Levine, and by the defendants Rod Stewart, Barry Tyerman, Armstrong Hirsch, Stiefel Entertainment and Anne Challis; the plaintiffs' motion for an award of attorneys fees and the plaintiffs' motion for an award of prejudgment interest. The court heard oral argument for approximately two hours on these motions and took them all under submission. On Feb. 28, 2005, the court ruled as follows: Both motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict were denied. The plaintiffs were awarded $472,216 in attorneys fees; and the plaintiffs were awarded $163,800 in prejudgment interest. Lastly, on March 8, 2005, a hearing was held on the defendants' motion to tax costs, requested by the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs were awarded $52,707 in costs. The judgment with costs, interest and attorneys fees currently stands at $3,068,623. The defendants have filed notices of appeal from the judgment.

Deliberation

eight hours

Length

14 days


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