Popsquire

Matthew and Laura Eaton, aka the “Dr. Phil shoplifters,” have lawyered up and are going after Dr. Phil!

[Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos ]

The United Defense Group, representing the Eaton family, just confirmed to Popsquire.com that they are exploring legal remedies against Dr. Phil.  They say an unnamed Dr. Phil producer made several promises to persuade the couple to confess their $1 million shoplifting enterprise on air, but the show hasn’t fulfilled any of those promises.

The producer allegedly promised psychological counseling, “help for their kids” and, if needed, a legal defense.  Among other things, the producer allegedly said: “We will bail you out of jail,” and “We will pay for your legal counseling.” The Eatons also claim that the producer assured them that Dr. Phil was aware of these promises.

Since they taped the show last fall, however, the Eatons say they have not received any help from Dr. Phil or his producers.  Nancy Yamini, one of the Eatons’ attorneys, says her firm contacted Dr. Phil’s attorneys to ask for help and got this response: “I doubt you’re going to get any help.” As a result, the Eatons’ attorneys are now exploring civil remedies against Dr. Phil and his show.

Yamini also confirmed that although federal authorities raided the Eatons’ home, charges still have not been filed.

PS: Popsquire reached out to the Dr. Phil show and is awaiting a response.

Technorati Tags: broken promise, dr. phil, duped, laura eaton, lawsuit, legal defense, legal remedies, lies, matthew eaton, nancy yamini, persuaded, producer, psychological counseling, raid, shoplifters, suing, the united defense group

For today’s “what took so long” collision between pop culture and law, two admitted shoplifters who appeared on Dr. Phil’s show last year are finally under investigation by federal agents.

Laura and Matthew Eaton appeared on Dr. Phil in November.  Cameras documented a three-day trip during which they hit 27 stores and stole more than $5,000 worth of merchandise, at times using their children as decoys.  In fact, Laura admitted on the show that she and her husband have stolen nearly $1 million in goods over the past seven years.!

If these people go to jail, we finally may have a valid reason for Dr. Phil to be on air.  Ugh.

Technorati Tags: dr. phil, investigation, laura matthew eaton, pop culture law, shoplifter

According to TMZ, a psychologist has filed this complaint with the California Board of Pyschology against Dr. Phil.  This is not the first time that an administrative complaint has been filed against Dr. Phil, as Popsquire shared in this previous post. 

The complaint has two basic allegations: (1) that Dr. Phil practiced pyschology in California without a license; and (2) that Dr. Phil violated privacy laws by divulging information about Britney.

Popsquire wonders why there is not a third allegation for solicitation, as Popsquire described in this earlier discussion about ethics.  It’s ok, though…Popsquire understands it’s hard to keep up.

Technorati Tags: board, Britney Spears, dr. phil, ethics, Privacy, psychiatry, psychology

As you may recall, Popsquire was worried about Dr. Phil’s involvement with Britney Spears from the start.  Today, a Spears’ family representative admonished him in this clip for making a public statement about Britney. 

As you might expect, Popsquire did some research and found these excerpts from the American Psychological Association Code of Ethics…

5.06 In-Person Solicitation
Psychologists do not engage, directly or through agents, in uninvited in-person solicitation of business from actual or potential therapy clients/patients or other persons who because of their particular circumstances are vulnerable to undue influence.

4.05 Disclosures
(a) Psychologists may disclose confidential information with the appropriate consent of the organizational client, the individual client/patient, or another legally authorized person on behalf of the client/patient unless prohibited by law.

What do you think?  Will we ever know if Dr. Phil, who does not even have a license to practice psychology in California, followed these portions of the APA Code of Ethics when it came to Britney?

PS: If you want to check for Dr. Phil’s non-license, conduct your own search on this website.

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Technorati Tags: britney spears dr. phil mcgraw psychology ethics code s

Dr. Phil has been the subject of a lot of heat from TMZ since his controversial Britney Spears hospital visit this weekend.  As you know, Popsquire also was concerned about the encounter and gave you this report on Dr. Phil’s prior collisions with the law.

Popsquire believes that cancelling the alleged Britney intervention episode was smart for everyone involved.  Although we see it all the time, talk shows that surprise guests run huge liability risks. 

Popsquire Pop Quiz: Which talk show suffered a $25 million jury verdict arising out of surprising a guest? 

The Jenny Jones Show.  Remember that show?

In that case, the allegations involved the show luring a mentally ill Jonathan Schmitz into believing he would meet a woman on the show who had a crush on him.  However, Scott (a man, of course) appeared and revealed that he had a crush on Jonathan…who later shot and killed Scott. 

The jury ordered producers of the Jenny Jones Show to cough up more than $25 million to Jonathan’s family.

Technorati Tags: 5150 hold, Britney Spears, cedars sinai, custody, deposition, dr. phil, kevin federline, law, lawsuit, mental evaluation, pop culture, popsquire, tmz

Popsquire is fretting over Dr. Phil’s visit to Britney in the hospital, which ET recently confirmed.  As you know, Popsquire finds it comforting to research and believes that knowledge is power.  So, you might find it insightful to learn about Dr. Phil’s prior collisions with the law…

In January 1989, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists imposed disciplinary sanctions on Dr. Phil for an inappropriate “dual relationship” with a 19-year old female client.  Dr. Phil admitted to giving the client a job at his office, but he denied carrying on a sexual relationship that the she claimed was “sexually inappropriate.”

In September 2006, Dr. Phil settled a class action lawsuit for $10.5 million.  The lawsuit claimed that Dr. Phil defrauded fans with his yearlong venture into the diet supplement business, making false statements about the pills.  

In December 2006, Dr. Phil was sued for defamation and fraud, based on allegations that his show edited and aired an interview allegedly implying that brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe slipped Natalie Holloway a date-rape drug, forced her to have nonconsensual sex and then supposedly aided in killing her and hiding the body.

In addition to research, Popsquire finds music to be comforting as well.  So, enjoy Britney’s classic, “Don’t Let Me Be The Last To Know.” 

Popsquire wonders if Dr. Phil used this line on Britney at the hospital…

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Technorati Tags: 5150 hold, Britney Spears, cedars sinai, custody, deposition, dr. phil, kevin federline, law, lawsuit, mental evaluation, natalie holloway, pop culture, popsquire