Popsquire

Court may be a Walk In The Clouds for Keanu Reeves!

A Los Angeles judge today denied a paparazzo’s request for punitive damages arising out of an alleged March 2007 car accident involving Keanu and the pap.  Alison Silva (a man) claimed he was hit by The Matrix star’s Porsche while photographing him, causing serious injuries.  Keanu’s reps argued in court documents that Silva placed his hand on Keanu’s car and tripped over his own feet.  (LOL!)

The judge ruled that the pap’s case was bogus, stating there “was no evidence of the slightest contact or the slightest touching.”  Nonetheless, Silva will continue with a negligence claim against Keanu, which is on calendar for trial in October.

Popsquire’s perspective…

Dismissal of claims for punitive damages represents a huge victory for any case.  Lawsuits are always about money, so if a defendant can reduce the plaintiff’s potential monetary recovery, that’s a victory.  Now, the pap can only recover, if at all, for his actual damages (i.e., medical bills), which likely are minimal in this case.

Technorati Tags: alison silva, car accident, elizabeth grimes, keanu reeves, negligence, paparazzi, pop culture law, punitive damages

Hulk Hogan appeared on Larry King last night.

In case you have been living under a rock, you should know the following before watching the video: (1) Hulk and his family starred in a popular VH1 reality series, “Hogan Knows Best;” (2) he is now embroiled in a bitter divorce with recent requests from his wife’s attorneys to put Hulk in jail for an alleged failure to turn over funds related to a sale of a Vegas condo; (3) Hulk’s son, Nick, is serving an eight-month jail sentence after pleading no contest to felony reckless driving, arising out of a crash that landed Nick’s friend incapacitated; and (4) Hulk faces a lawsuit from the victim’s family, blaming Hulk for Nick’s actions.

So, would you put your family on a reality tv series? Is it a recipe for disaster? Like a good lawyer, Popsquire presents you with evidence of both types out outcomes. Discuss…

Technorati Tags: bollea, family, hulk hogan, jessica simpson, john graziano, larry king, nick bollea, nick hogan, nick lachey, reality tv, reckless driving

ABC Action News obtained exclusive footage of Hulk and Linda Hogan/Bollea visiting their son Nick during the first week of his jail eight-month jail sentence. Click here to watch.

Technorati Tags: abc action news, bollea, hulk, law, linda, nick hogan, pop culture

Nick Hogan. After throwing himself at the mercy of the court today, Nick was sentenced to: (a) eight months in jail; (b) five years’ probation; (c) 500 hours community service; and (c) the judge suspended his license for three years.

This is not the end of the road, though. The Hogan family still faces a civil lawsuit arising out of the August 2007 speed racing disaster that left Nick’s passenger and friend incapacitated.

Technorati Tags: hulk hogan, jail sentence, law, nick hogan, pop culture, reckless driving, speed racing

According to People, Billy Ray Cyrus is apologizing for failure to buckle up while filming the movie, “Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour.” During a scene in the film in which Miley Cyrus and her dad are riding in the back seat of a Range Rover on the way to rehearsal for the concert tour, neither was wearing a seat belt.

Faithful Popsquire readers know that Billy Ray and Miley join Paris Hilton in the list of celebs caught on camera without buckling up. As a reminder, there are consequences for failing to click it!

The maximum fine in California for a seat-belt violation for individuals 16 and older is $87 for the first offense and the citation more then doubles for the second offense.

Drivers who are cited for not properly securing children under 16 in a vehicle are subject to a maximum fine of $340 for a first offense and up to $871 for a second offense.

Popsquire also wants to remind everyone that failing to wear a seatbelt can kill! Just like this 30 Seconds To Mars video…

Technorati Tags: billy ray cyrus, car crash, hannah montana, law, miley cyrus, paris hilton, pop culture, range rover, seatbelts

According to these court records, Raymundo Ortega, who is suing Lindsay Lohan for at least $200,000 in alleged damages from a 2005 car crash on Robertson Blvd, has dismissed Lindsay’s production company – not Lindsay – from the lawsuit.

Popsquire worries about Lindsay, so he did some research on Ortega’s attorney, Robert G. Klein.  Unlike Mark Kaplan (K-Fed’s attorney), there is no record of having a suspended legal license.  Instead, it looks like this guy means business.  He has obtained numerous verdicts and/or settlements totaling more than $1 million, as you can see here.   

Don’t fret too much, though.  Posquire was on the scene of this accident and isn’t convinced that Ortega is without fault for this accident. 

As you desperately await next steps in this lawsuit, sit back and enjoy Incubus’ hit, Drive.

Technorati Tags: 2005, car crash, law, lawsuit, lindsay lohan, newsroom, pop culture, popsquire, raymundo ortega, russell wetanson, witness

The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office has confirmed that Brandy Norwood will not be facing criminal charges for last year’s car crash that resulted in a woman’s death.  For more details about why Brandy is not being charged, click here.  And for the strongly worded statement released by her attorney, take a look at this.

To celebrate with Brandy, join me in singing along to her 1998 hit, Top Of the World…

 BTW, Popsquire can’t sing, but it’s fun to try anyway.  Come on!

Technorati Tags: america's got talent, Brandy, criminal charges, law, marijuana, Norwood, pop culture, popsquire, russell wetanson, tmz, top of the world, vehicular manslaughter

Quick catch up.  Lindsay Lohan has been involved in multiple car incidents.  For purposes of this post, let’s focus on the 2005 crash outside of the Newsroom Cafe in Los Angeles. 

Raymundo Ortega, a Newsroom busboy at the time, claims Lindsay was under the influence of alcohol when they crashed and is seeking at least $200,000 in damages.  According to CNN, Lindsay recently filed a declaration with the court, stating “I did not consume an alcoholic beverage or any type of medication or drug…”

Here’s the real scoop.  Popsquire actually was on the scene at the time of the accident.  I was in the Newsroom Cafe, heard the crash, ran outside, and saw Lindsay run into the store across the street. 

Popsquire is no expert in accident analysis, but in my opinion, it looked like the busboy was trying to make a u-turn from his parking space instead of pulling out and driving forward.  These bad driving manners could make it difficult for the busboy to beat Lindsay in court!

Any other witnesses to this accident out there?  If so, let’s form a support group.

[digg=http://www.digg.com/celebrity/Lindsay_May_Not_Lose_This_Lawsuit]

Technorati Tags: 2005, car crash, law, lawsuit, lindsay lohan, newsroom, pop culture, popsquire, raymundo ortega, russell wetanson, witne