Kameo
04-20-2007, 01:00 AM
In March, Take-Two filed suit against Thompson in Florida for violating the game publisher’s First Amendment rights by trying to have the upcoming Grand Theft Auto IV and new Manhunt declared public nuisances.
Now the two parties have settled. Take-Two will drop its charges against Thompson, as the attorney has agreed not to sue Take-Two or any of its subsidiaries to restrict the sale of games; not to threaten suit against Take-Two; and he’ll only be able to communicate with the company through Take-Two’s lawyers.
Thompson will still be able to criticize the content and distribution of Take-Two games. He’ll also still be able to legally represent third-party plaintiffs who allege individual harm from Take-Two.In turn, Thompson will drop the countersuit that he brought against Take-Two, which he filed just after Take-Two sued him for First Amendment violations regarding GTAIV and Manhunt sales.
Thompson previously tried to have Take-Two’s Bully, declared a public nuisance, but that attempt failed miserably in front of a Florida judge.
In early January this year, Thompson declared that he would be fighting the release of GTA IV, or at least its sale to minors, through “various means.”
Take-Two lawyers were also on the offense against Thompson in October 2006, when they sought to have him declared in contempt of court.
Take-Two's recently appointed board of directors, led by chairman Strauss Zelnick and CEO Benjamin Feder, have made a point to clear up the company's pending legal matters as part of their plans to reinvigorate the publisher.
(Via GamePolitics. See lawsuit .pdf here (http://www.gamepolitics.com/images/legal/FL-T2-JT-settlement.pdf).)
Now the two parties have settled. Take-Two will drop its charges against Thompson, as the attorney has agreed not to sue Take-Two or any of its subsidiaries to restrict the sale of games; not to threaten suit against Take-Two; and he’ll only be able to communicate with the company through Take-Two’s lawyers.
Thompson will still be able to criticize the content and distribution of Take-Two games. He’ll also still be able to legally represent third-party plaintiffs who allege individual harm from Take-Two.In turn, Thompson will drop the countersuit that he brought against Take-Two, which he filed just after Take-Two sued him for First Amendment violations regarding GTAIV and Manhunt sales.
Thompson previously tried to have Take-Two’s Bully, declared a public nuisance, but that attempt failed miserably in front of a Florida judge.
In early January this year, Thompson declared that he would be fighting the release of GTA IV, or at least its sale to minors, through “various means.”
Take-Two lawyers were also on the offense against Thompson in October 2006, when they sought to have him declared in contempt of court.
Take-Two's recently appointed board of directors, led by chairman Strauss Zelnick and CEO Benjamin Feder, have made a point to clear up the company's pending legal matters as part of their plans to reinvigorate the publisher.
(Via GamePolitics. See lawsuit .pdf here (http://www.gamepolitics.com/images/legal/FL-T2-JT-settlement.pdf).)