Celebrity Lawsuit Roundup: February 26, 2013

At this time of year, many of America’s favorite celebrities get to bask in the glow of the red carpet. However, not all stars attract attention for their powerhouse performances…or for tripping on their way to collect their Oscar. (Jennifer Lawrence, we love you.) Some stars stay in the news thanks to big-time lawsuits and out-of-court settlements. Here’s the roundup of this week’s celebrity lawsuit news.

Recently filed lawsuits

Mike Tyson has sued a financial management firm that he claims embezzled more than $300,000 from him and substantially damaged his future earning capacity. Tyson is suing SFX Financial Advisory Management Enterprises, which is owned by Live Nation, for more than $5 million in damages. SFX has yet to comment on the suit.

Arizona State University is suing a porn site called Sun Devil Angels. ASU’s suit alleges that individuals who are searching for information about the college may be confused when they land on the pornographic site, and that ASU’s reputation may be damaged as a result. Legal representatives for ASU are demanding that the website be shut down.

Singer Taylor Swift has been sued by ticketing company Fire USA in connection with a cancelled Ottawa music festival. The company wants Swift to return the $2.5 million advance fee she received to perform at the festival prior to its cancellation.

Wrestling legend Ric Flair has asked a judge to issue a restraining order against his estranged wife, Jackie. In his request, Flair states that Jackie has beat and threatened him on several occasions. The wrestler’s estranged wife claims that the accusations are completely false.

Funk legend George Clinton has filed for divorce from his wife of 22 years, Stephanie Lynn Clinton. The couple has been separated for an unspecified amount of time. Legal representatives have made no comment as to any monetary settlement that may be pursued during the divorce, but a representative from a divorce law firm could tell you that such a lengthy marriage may result in a large payout for Stephanie Lynn if there is no prenuptial agreement.

Actress Mischa Barton is being sued by a nursing company for failure to pay more than $95,000 for the services of a sober coach. Barton’s lawyers have responded to the suit, saying Barton never hired the service, her mother did, and that therefore her mother should be held responsible for paying the bill.

Cash Money Records is being sued by a ’70s musician who claims that rapper Bow Wow, who performs on the label, sampled one of his songs without his clearance. The musician, Robert Poindexter, is suing for $600,000 in punitive damages plus accrued interest.

Recently settled legal matters

Katherine Jackson’s wrongful death lawsuit against AEG is far from over, but the judge presiding over the trial did settle one matter last week: troubled doctor Conrad Murray has been ordered to testify in open court. Murray and his legal team fought the original subpoena in the case.

Actor Jason Patric has lost a paternity battle in Los Angeles. Patric asked a judge to award him parental rights for the child of ex-girlfriend Danielle Schreiber, who conceived a son using Patric’s sperm through artificial insemination. The judge noted that sperm donors do not have parental rights.

Lindsay Lohan lost yet another legal battle when a judge dismissed her defamation lawsuit against rapper Pitbull. Though the judge did not charge Lohan for filing a frivolous lawsuit, he did fine her lawyer for plagiarizing from newspapers, law firms and educational websites when writing her briefs.