Celebrity Legal Issues

Medical Malpractice or Drug Addiction?
There’s a Fine Line Between the Two and it’s Called Hollywood Blvd

We’ve seen it time and time again in Hollywood.  When fame, money and power hit all too suddenly, things can get a bit out of control.   There has been no shortage of drug-related deaths in Tinsel Town, even dating as far back as films themselves.  But in this day and age of corruption in the medical field, one has to beg the question, is it always as simple as drug addiction, or is there more to dig into?

Shocking still is the death of Michael Jackson, who died at the age of 50 just over a year ago.  His doctor, Conrad Murray, has long been accused of providing Jackson with an over-abundance of prescription drugs, including a potent anesthetic propofol, which eventually caused his fatal cardiac arrest.

Seven other doctors who cared for Jackson were free of wrongful death charges in late July 2010.  Murray, not one of the 7 being investigated, had previously pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter after allegedly providing Jackson with the deadly prescription cocktail.

Joe Jackson’s attorney, Brian Oxman, says about the verdict:

“I am very disappointed.  The misuse of medications by Michael Jackson in the last years of his life was excessive and to fail to bring that to the public is ignoring reality.”

Earlier this month the wrongful death suit against Murray was being thrown out due to lack of information provided by Joe Jackson about the clinics in which Murray supposedly practiced from.  Without sufficient information on location, a judge cannot determine if the Federal Court has jurisdiction.  Joe Jackson was given one week to correct the documentation or the case would be thrown out.  Murray’s lawyer Ed Chernoff has maintained the doctor’s innocence, saying he did not administer the fatal dose of propofol and that perhaps Jackson administered it to himself.  Anesthesia experts have said the possibility of Jackson administering the drug himself is highly unlikely.  If the trial continues, Murray could face a sentence of up to 4 years.

So one has to ask if this really is a case for a medical malpractice attorney or if Jackson would have found the drugs some other way, without the help of a doctor, leaving the brunt of the responsibility in his hands.

For More Jackson Info Please Visit: Michael Jackson News

Alas, we’ve found something dumber than getting your spouse’s name tattooed on your arm. It absolutely amazes me that celebrities still get married these days without concluding the prenup business first. With a 50% and rising, nation-wide divorce rate, and non-stop high-profile divorce d.r.a.m.a everywhere you look, you’d think people would start to catch on. We live in a world where 55-hour marriages happen and they’re kind of not that big of a deal. Even TV actress Jana Kramer and her husband of one month, Jonathan Schaech, just filed for divorce. That’s right, one month. And Elizabeth Taylor had how many husbands?

Kelsey Grammer is the latest of the celebs to face the divorce papers after his wife of 13 years, Camille Donatacci Grammer (wife #3), filed for divorce not six weeks ago (and P.S., 55-year-old Grammer just found out his new 29-year-old girlfriend – and where did she come from suddenly? – is expecting his fifth child). See? Drama. Yet even given his past, having been married twice before, Grammer didn’t feel it necessary to have Donatacci sign a prenuptial agreement before the wedding vows. And now she has claim to syndication residuals from the last 7 seasons of “Frasier.”

When Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Philippe got married in 1999, they also decided against a prenup. Then 6 years later when they divorced, they had to split their earnings. And she was making 10 times more than he was at the time. Good for him.

And let us not forget Sir Paul McCartney and his disastrous divorce to Heather Mills, which ended horrifically after only 4 years.  Sure, they were in love, but I would put $48.7 million on him never making that mistake again.

Sandra Bullock on the other hand, now here’s a gal who uses her head – her cheating ex, Jesse James, won’t get a dime of her Miss Congeniality cash.  She was smart enough to have him sign a prenuptial agreement before the I love yous and together forevers, keeping her assets and property out of his hands.

It may not feel great to have the conversation, to rain on the parade and predict a chance of divorce, but ask Kelsey Grammer if he would do anything differently if given the chance to go back and do it all again.

Cheers to you, Frasier Crane.
I sure hope you’ve got a good family law firm.

Celebrity divorces are no joke. Fans love to read about them and tabloids love to publish about them. In the middle of it all you have big businesses and the lawyers orchestrating the whole mess while the celebrities are left patching together fractured reputations and empty bank accounts. Last year alone saw the breakups of Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, Paul McCartney and Heather Mills, and Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe. While most divorces may go under the spotlight others stand tall. More importantly, the settlement amounts rewarded are probably some of the most outrageous to be seen in a divorce or family law matter.

Celeblegalissues.com reports on 5 divorce proceedings that broke the bank.

James Cameron and Linda Hamilton

Known for creating two of the highest grossing films ever released into public, James Cameron is also well known for having one of the most expensive divorce settlements ever. Linda Hamilton, whom met James Cameron during the the filming of The Terminator in 1984, filed for divorce in 1999. Linda was Cameron’s 4th wife, only married for 17 months before calling it quits. Reportedly, Hamilton received $50 million in the divorce settlement but she said even before that the damage had been done. Quoted in one interview about the breakup, Hamilton said “He would rather be with his mistress on set than with his wife at home” which leads many to believe that his other 3 marriages ultimately shared the same fate.

Paul McCartney & Heather Mills

Beatle singer/songwriter, Paul McCartney, married Heather Mills in June of 2002 four years after Paul’s first wife passed away from breast cancer. Four years later, the two decided to separate. Mills complained of McCartney being an “old-fart” and one who lacked having social circles other than his roadie. Soon after the separation, accusations of abuse and neglect poured into the public airwaves pushing this as one of the most publicly air divorce proceedings ever. By 2008, the two filed for divorce with a San Francisco family law attorney with a reported settlement in excess of $60 million heading in Mills direction.

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren

Amidst all the rumors involving Tiger Wood’s love affairs, the last straw seems to have been broken with, now ex-wife, Elin Nordegren filing for divorce from Tiger Woods. Originally seeking to accept a $500 million settlement which is exactly half of Tiger Wood’s $1 billion fortune, reports says that she will be receiving a figure closer to $100 million. Part of the divorce settlement requires Nordegren to remain silent about the numerous alleged affairs Tiger Woods was involved in. His main fear revolves around his reputation being rebuilt years later to only fall back down into the gutter with slanderish statements Nordegren is capable of.

Michael and Juanita Jordan

Over the course of Michael Jordon’s marriage with Chicago bank officer Juanita Vanoy, Jordan earned more than $350 million including numerous endorsement deals. The couple also signed an agreement entitling Juanita to half her husband’s fortune. The marriage became eve more rocky as the opportunity for reconciliation became difficult when it was revealed that the Jordan had paid Karla Knafel, a former lounge singer, to be quite about an affair they had with one another. In 2006, the couple filed for divorce with a family law judge with Juanita coming out with a $169 million settlement.

Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving

The couple met when Irving auditioned for Close Encounters of the Third Kind. They married in 1985, after Spielberg had already struck it big with his first Indiana Jones flick and ET. They divorced after nearly four years of marriage. Irving successfully contested their prenuptial agreement (reportedly scribbled on a napkin) because she did not have legal representation and was awarded $100 million, roughly half of Spielberg’s fortune at the time. Today, he is worth $3 billion.

// // //

In 1987′s “Wall Street,” Gordon Gekko, a character played onscreen by Michael Douglas, famous said: “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures, the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge, has marked the upward surge of mankind….”

Greed is good, eh?

Not sure Michael Douglas would agree with the Gordon Gekko, even as he reprises his famous role in the 2010 sequel, “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.” One might argue that it’s greed that is motivating Douglas’ ex-wife Diandra to claim that according to their 2000 California divorce settlement, she is entitled to half his earnings from the new movie.

Diandra Douglas and her lawyers say that the divorce deal gives her rights to share in proceeds from spin-offs from work he did while the couple was still married, including the 1987 hit “Wall Street.”

Lawyers for Michael Douglas countered that his ex-wife has misinterpreted the agreement, and that it doesn’t apply to the “Wall Street” sequel. They also added that the case belongs in California, where the couple divorced; and not in New York, where she has brought her claim.

How do you think the judge will rule? Do you think Diandra Douglas is entitled to half of Michael Douglas’ earnings from the sequel?

What is it with celebrities these days? You would think a Hollywood judge would be in their glory facing the prospect of making a judiciary example of someone so famous and well known.  Yet more and more of our celebrities are sent to jail for doing illegal crimes and then released long before their sentence is up.

Lindsay Lohan just served 23 days of a 90 day sentence for violating her probation related to a recent DUI.  In 2007, Paris Hilton served only 5 days of her 45 day sentence for violating her probation following a DUI.  Then again, Ms. Hilton was also oh so very sick (cough cough).

Do these people have miracle criminal law attorneys in California or are they just too cool for orange jumpsuits?  I mean seriously, how many second chances can one person get?

Now rapper DMX (known in real life as Earl Simmons) has been released from a Los Angeles County Jail Thursday [8/12] after serving only 18 days of his 90 day sentence for violating his probation for – guess what? – a DUI!

I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking a DUI is a pretty dangerous offense.  It should be considered quite something that we just collectively, as a society, don’t care.

Last year Mr. Simmons served a full 90 days after cutting a deal on animal cruelty charges and drug possession in Arizona.  Surprised that Arizona would keep him locked up for all 90 days?  Me either.

Well things seem to roll a little differently in the city of angels.  The rapper was ordered back to jail for 6 months in early 2010 after confessing to cocaine use while on a probation from a 2002 reckless driving DUI.  On July 26th the musician began his sentence.  He vowed to spend his time to making steps towards recovery and was released on August 12th.

Seems a crowded jail and some good temporary behavior can get you really far in Hollywood.

For more celebrity legal issues, visit our Celebrity DUI and Celebrity Arrests for latest news.