Sam Smith & Normani Can’t Recover Legal Fees After Copyright Case Win

Denny Irwanto

Six months after Sam Smith and Normani beat a copyright lawsuit over their 2019 hit “Dancing With a Stranger,” a federal judge is refusing to force their accuser to reimburse their legal fees — a bill the stars say exceeded $700,000.

Smith and Normani have argued that they shouldn’t be forced to foot the huge bill they incurred fending off the “frivolous and unreasonable” lawsuit, which claimed the duo had copied a little-known 2015 song of the same name when they created “Dancing .”

While US District Judge Wesley L. Hsu dismissed the lawsuit last year, he ruled Monday (Mar. 18) that the case was not so completely baseless as to warrant punishing the accuser with paying the stars’ massive legal bill.

“Plaintiff’s claims were neither frivolous nor objectively unreasonable,” the judge wrote, calling the lawsuit a “close and difficult case” on a “contentious area of ​​copyright law.”

Attorneys for Smith and Normani had argued that the lawsuit was merely a “gamble,” filed against the stars with “hopes for a massive payout.” But Judge Hsu said Monday there was “no evidence” of such ill intent by the accusers.

The case was filed in 2022 by songwriters Jordan Vincent, Christopher Miranda

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Lawsuit to allege 2 Calgary teachers ‘working together’ to sexually abuse students

Denny Irwanto

A former Calgary teacher accused of sexually assaulting junior high school students had help from a guidance counselor — who has already been accused of sexually assaulting children — with the two “providing covers” for each other, lawyers allege on the eve of a lawsuit being filed against the two men and the Calgary Board of Education.

Michael Gregory died by suicide in 2021, five days after he was criminally charged with 17 counts of sexual assault and sexual exploitation involving six girls. They had been students at John Ware Junior High, where Gregory taught between 1986 to 2006.

A $40-million lawsuit was filed in 2021 against the CBE and Gregory’s estate. There are 16 alleged victims named as plaintiffs.

This lawsuit seeks damages for the sexual and emotional abuse suffered by the victims. It alleged junior high staff — including a vice-principal — were well aware of his abusive behavior.

‘A bad faith decision’

Last year, a new law firm, HMC Lawyers LLP, took over the 2021 case. At a press conference Monday, lawyer David Corrigan said the CBE abruptly “pulled the pin” on mediation just days before it was set to begin on March 12.

With hopes of

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Alina Habba responds to claims Trump is seeking foreign legal funding

Denny Irwanto

Former President Trump’s attorney Alina Habba responded to claims that he could be seeking foreign sources to pay his massive legal fees, but she said Wednesday she “can’t speak” about the strategy.

Rumors about the future of Trump’s businesses are circulating as he attempts to pay the $454 million due in his New York civil fraud case just days before the deadline. Trump critics question whether the former president might secure the funds from an outside source, such as Saudi Arabia or Russia.

“Well, there’s rules and regulations that are public. I can’t talk about strategy; that requires certain things, and we have to follow those rules,” Habba told Fox News’s Martha MacCallum on Wednesday.

“Like I said, this is manifest injustice. It’s impossible. It is an impossibility. I believe they knew that,” she continued, referring to the bond amount.

Trump’s legal team indicated in court Monday that it would be “impossible” for them to secure the money he owes. His attorney said they spent “countless hours” negotiating with “one of the largest insurance companies in the world” and close to 30 companies to secure a full bond for the case.

A New York judge ordered Trump to pay nearly

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