Label Ordered To Pay Country Singer's Attorney's Fees After Dropping Copyright Suit

A-Blake Records v. Cassidy, No. 14-cv-3401 (S.D. Tex. Aug. 23, 2016).

A record label that sued a country singer for copyright infringement, but then conceded that there was no liability and asked the court to dismiss the case with prejudice, was ordered to pay the country singer's attorney's fees under the Copyright Act.  "Because the original suit was baseless, retaliatory, and it promotes the purposes of the copyright law, the singer will be awarded litigation costs and reasonable attorney's fees."  The label, apparently, filed the suit in retaliation for the singer filing for bankruptcy with a $700,000 debt owed the label (the label failed to meet the deadline to dispute the discharge of its claim in the bankruptcy).

Muzak Bankruptcy

Muzak Holdings LLC filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Top 30 unsecured creditors include: Universal Music Enterprises, EMI Capitol Records, ASCAP, Sony Music, Virgin Records, Harry Fox, Rhino Entertainment, SESAC, and BMI.

Legal Fees in Death Row Bankruptcy

In the Death Row bankruptcy, bankruptcy attorneys write in their $6.8 million fee request:

The representation of the Trustee in this case has been particularly complex due to the individuals involved in the company’s operations and intentionally illicit, ‘gangster-style’ business operations of the debtor.

[WSJ Blog.]

TVT Bankruptcy - Schedule of Assets

OTCS: here to please...

Read this doc on Scribd: TVT Bankruptcy - AMENDED Schedule of Assets

Fees Denied in Hip-Hop Bankruptcy

Anthony Lin, "Criticizing Firm, Judge Denies Fees in Hip-Hop Bankruptcy", 4/15/08 N.Y.L.J. at p. 1. ("A Bankruptcy judge has slammed a New York law firm for putting its own desire to be paid above the interests of its client [Source Enterprises Inc.] in a Chapter 11 proceeding.").

In re Source Enterprises Inc., No. 06-11707, 4/17/08 N.Y.L.J. "Decision of Interest" (Bkrcy. S.D.N.Y. Mar. 27, 2008).

TVT Bankruptcy Update – Schedules and Statements

By order dated April 4, 2008 (Doc. No. 126), United States Bankruptcy Judge Allan Gropper granted TVT's (the debtor's) motion, pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 1007, to further extend the time within which it must file its (A) Schedule of Assets and Liabilities, (B) Schedule of Executory Contracts and Unexpired Leases and (C) Statement of Financial Affairs.

The time within which the Debtor must file its Schedules of assets only is extended from April 4, 2008 to April 14, 2008, without prejudice to the Debtor’s right to seek further extensions of such deadline upon a showing of cause therefor.

The time within which the Debtor must file its remaining Schedules and Statements is extended from April 4, 2008 to April 18, 2008, without prejudice to the Debtor’s right to seek further extensions of such deadline upon a showing of cause therefor.

No further extensions will be granted except on a detailed showing of
extraordinary cause.

(Emphasis in the original.)

Note that the Court had previously extended the time (order dated March 7, 2008) to April 4th.

[TEEVEE Toons, Inc. dba TVT Records; filed 2/19/2008; Petition No. 08-10562 Gropper]

TVT Bankruptcy: UPDATE of Unsecured Creditors

TVT Records filed for bankruptcy on February 19, 2008. The following is a list of unsecured creditors in the bankruptcy proceeding pending in the US Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan):

• The Harry Fox Agency $7,328,225.85(U) - Disputed
• Kaye Scholer LLP $4,736,810.00(U) - Disputed
• Slip N Slide Records Inc. $4,579,200.00(U) - Disputed
• TVT Funding LLC $1,205,592.00(U)
• Cinram Manufacturing $576,641.00(U)
• Labaton Sucharow & Rudoff LLP $412,685.66(U)
• Castle Rock Entertainment $379,341.72(U) - Disputed
• SKA Films Diamonds Ltd. $358,370.15(U) - Disputed
• Warner Strategic Marketing $219,999.67(U)
• Christopher Bridges aka Ludacris $200,000.00(U) - Disputed
• Dreamworks/Universal Media $180,174.52(U)
• EMI Music Publishing $176,654.03(U)
• Lemarquis Jefferson $171,000.00(U)
• Vagrant Records $155,167.97(U)
• American Express $144,106.85(U)
• Little Jonathan Properties $132,800.00(U) - Disputed
• Universal Music Publishing $131,566.31(U)
• Universal Music Corp. $124,409.09(U)
• Kings of Crunks Studios Inc. $123,405.58(U) - Disputed
• Warner Chappell Music $121,846.39(U)

[TEEVEE Toons, Inc. dba TVT Records dba TVT Soundtrax dba TVT Distribution dba TVT Jazz dba Blunt Records; filed 2/19/2008; Petition #: 08-10562 Gropper]

TVT Bankruptcy

Billboard reports:

TVT Records, once hailed as Billboard's top independent label and home to artists such as Lil Jon, Pitbull and Ying Yang Twins, will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week, company head Steve Gottlieb tells Billboard.com. "This is not the end of TVT," he insists.

Rolling Stone reports that the label fired the majority of their staff.

Just Another Day for Dre

Billboard reports that Andre Young p/k/a Dr. Dre filed papers with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles seeking to determine the value of a claim he holds against Death Row Records for unpaid royalties accruing after the record label's bankruptcy filing. Young is asking for permission to obtain this information under Rule 2004 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, which allows bankruptcy judges to order companies to turn over documents related to their assets, liabilities and financial affairs.