PP Wins Victory. Case aganist ABC moves forward

[John]

http://www.deadline.com/2014/02/abc-prospect-park-lawsuit-one-life-to-live-all-my-children/

[alexisfan07]

I didn't really follow that but it sounds like it's not over yet, right?

[John]

Nope & one of ABC's demands was struck down by the judge

[allmc2008]

WOW!!

[ellabelle]

This is a victory for Prospect Park, but I don't think it's all that unusual for the judge to strike down a motion like ABC's. The subject of the suit is a breach of contract over the agreement that PP and ABC said, so it seems reasonable to want to freeze the contract in place and not require anyone to pay any licensing fees until the suit is settled. The judge didn't rule out the possibilty that PP WILL have to pay those fees later - just that they aren't going to remove PP's request that the license be extended and the fees put on hold until the suit is settled from the case. PP's request will be given full consideration, which I think is a good thing.

[Vee]

I don't care about the suit. I just wish the shows could go back into production with steady funding and saner management. They'll have lost some people, but the quality and the materials were there.

[ChitHappens]

I'm unclear and too lazy to read that link. If there is a hold on licensing fees, why can't ABC have the shows back [not that anyone wants them to have them back]. If you are not paying me or my sh!t, you have to return it to me. No?

Of course, PP would have to pay arrears, but this makes little sense that they retain something not paid for.

[edgeofnik]

Unless the lawsuit means that we'll get one or both shows back, why should I care if PP gets money out of this?

[John]

PP has thru March 31, 2015 to start up ptoduction on the soaps again or lose them to ABC. So if they win Id hope they would use that money to restart the soaps again.

[ellabelle]

Because the contract over who has the rights and who owes who what, when, etc. is in dispute. From the articles I've read, PP has until March 2015 (unless otherwise extended by the court) to resume production even WITHOUT the lawsuit, and if they fail to do so, THEN ABC can take the rights back. ABC has no production rights to either show at the moment, lawsuit or no lawsuit. In November PP asked the court to essentially freeze the contract and ask that they not be required to pay any licensing fees or meet any deadlines until the case is resolved. ABC asked to have that motion thrown out. ABC lost. The judge will consider PP's November request as part of the whole case. My understanding is that this is pretty standard in a breach of contract case like this.

It is possible or even probable that when the suit is resolved (either through trial or through mediation or a private settlement of some kind), PP will owe licensing fees to ABC, and presumably they will pay them or hand back the rights to both shows.

[John]

If ABC is found in breach, the court could nullify payments that were due during the court case

[Mathewson]

All I care about is getting the soaps back on, mainly OLTL. But I love the part about OLTL characters being killed off to GH and trying to ruin Prospect Park's efforts to continue AMC and OLTL online.

When they go to court for this, Ron would go absolutely insane like he always does.

[John]

I would not be surprised if the doscoveryy motion in March doesnt go ABC's way if they settle this

[katie_9918]

When PP loses, they'll probably have to pay all those fees anyway.