FC/OT: Wanna see a dead body?

NittPicker

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Oct 7, 2021
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Aside from a celebrity being involved, it's impossible to understand why this trial received any national coverage whatsoever. Gwyneth Paltrow. Big deal. Just another wacko celeb....
 

Bwifan

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Oct 12, 2021
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LOL. Just awesome. I like Paltrow the actress but the goop stuff I could do without. That said, this guy got what he deserved. Thought he had a pay day when he had an accident with a rich celebrity and she gooped his ***.

Yes... what did he text out to friends the day of the ski accident something like "I am going to be famous..." then he tried lowering his amount to $300k probably thinking it was chump change for her and she would just pay it. Well she dug her heels in and said hold my beer...
 

PSU73

Well-known member
Oct 12, 2021
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Didn't follow it, but does anyone know why she was awarded $1, instead of say court costs? I'll just guess she would have had to counter sue which would be a separate trial.
 
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Bwifan

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Oct 12, 2021
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Didn't follow it, but does anyone know why she was awarded $1, instead of say court costs? I'll just guess she would have had to counter sue which would be a separate trial.

Sanderson filed an amended complaint after an earlier $3.1 million lawsuit was dismissed. Paltrow in response countersued for $1 and attorney fees, a symbolic action that mirrors Taylor Swift’s response to a radio host’s defamation lawsuit. Swift was awarded $1 in 2017.
 

Midnighter

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Oct 7, 2021
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Yes... what did he text out to friends the day of the ski accident something like "I am going to be famous..." then he tried lowering his amount to $300k probably thinking it was chump change for her and she would just pay it. Well she dug her heels in and said hold my beer...

Famous for getting clowned by Paltrow *and* having to pay her legal fees. I guess he can say he shared a room with Gwyneth Paltrow…*snicker*.
 
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LafayetteBear

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Oct 12, 2021
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Exactly and her legal fees ain't gonna be cheap.... he is going to have to dig deep to pay that bill.
A trial judge has a variety of inherent powers that he or she can exercise at his or her discretion, and without being asked to do so by either litigating party. But I've never heard of a trial judge awarding attorneys' fees to a prevailing party who had not requested them. Gwyneth Paltrow announced in advance that this litigation was not about money for her, and that it was all about vindicating her name and not getting shaken down for a settlement when she was blameless. She had therefore asked for $1. I will be surprised if there is an award of attorneys' fees given that fact..
 

LionJim

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Oct 12, 2021
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A trial judge has a variety of inherent powers that he or she can exercise at his or her discretion, and without being asked to do so by either litigating party. But I've never heard of a trial judge awarding attorneys' fees to a prevailing party who had not requested them. Gwyneth Paltrow announced in advance that this litigation was not about money for her, and that it was all about vindicating her name and not getting shaken down for a settlement when she was blameless. She had therefore asked for $1. I will be surprised if there is an award of attorneys' fees given that fact..
Going by my not having yet seen any mention of lawyer’s fees being awarded, I suppose you’re right and it’s all moot now. The guy could easily have found himself on the hook for a quarter million dollars.
 
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Midnighter

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Oct 7, 2021
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A trial judge has a variety of inherent powers that he or she can exercise at his or her discretion, and without being asked to do so by either litigating party. But I've never heard of a trial judge awarding attorneys' fees to a prevailing party who had not requested them. Gwyneth Paltrow announced in advance that this litigation was not about money for her, and that it was all about vindicating her name and not getting shaken down for a settlement when she was blameless. She had therefore asked for $1. I will be surprised if there is an award of attorneys' fees given that fact..

She did ask for attorney's fees to be awarded but it was not included in the verdict. I read the judge has discretion to include attorney's fees if he chooses.

From Fortune magazine...

After the verdict was read, the judge polled the jury, which was unanimous on the decision. In civil court in Utah, only three-fourths of jurors need to agree on a verdict. The attorney fees Paltrow asked for in her countersuit were not included in the jury’s verdict, leaving the bulk of the final award for the Park City judge to decide.
 
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LafayetteBear

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She did ask for attorney's fees to be awarded but it was not included in the verdict. I read the judge has discretion to include attorney's fees if he chooses.

From Fortune magazine...

After the verdict was read, the judge polled the jury, which was unanimous on the decision. In civil court in Utah, only three-fourths of jurors need to agree on a verdict. The attorney fees Paltrow asked for in her countersuit were not included in the jury’s verdict, leaving the bulk of the final award for the Park City judge to decide.
Thanks for the info, Midnighter. I'll concede that I did not follow this trial closely. Perhaps the $1 that Paltrow asked for was her damages request, with the attorneys' fee request (whatever it was) being separate.
 
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BiochemPSU

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Oct 30, 2021
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Fees are typically a different proceeding. Judge usually decides amount post-trial. If prevailing party gets costs as well, this guy is going to stroke a check for well in excess of $300k. However, the majority of plaintiffs are not collectible and the process and time it takes to get them to pay isn’t usually worth it, so the fees get used to bargain away an appeal. He probably won’t pay anything and his lawyers will just take the write off on their taxes. This guy and his lawyers will just go look for the next ambulance chasing event and try again next time.
 

Jason1743

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Oct 20, 2021
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It amazes me that this lawsuit was allowed to proceed. Waste of everyone’s time and money. The taxpayers paid for the judge and the cost of the trial. Gweneth paid her attorneys and expert witnesses. Everyone else, including the ambulance chasing plaintiff attorneys got squat.
 
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