The Hollywood Foreign Press Association and Dick Clark Productions have filed motions for summary judgment in what’s becoming an intense legal showdown over who has the rights to the Golden Globes.
Both of them filed claims that the court should immediately find in their favor. You can see why this would be an issue.
Here is the gist of the issue:
The key question in the legal battle is whether the contracts signed by the HFPA essentially granted Dick Clark the right to produce the show in perpetuity, as long as it continued to air on NBC.
The HFPA says there is no such thing as perpetuity and it has the right to end the association with Dick Clark and seek another producer beginning with the next show, scheduled for January 2012.
Sounds like a mess, and that both sides are unwilling to back down. The next hearing is August 1st, with a trial that could start as soon as September.
Let’s get this sorted out so we even have a Golden Globes next year!