Winners and Losers
After taking some time to think about how things turned, it seems appropriate to add up the scoreboard.
First of all, what I wanted was credit for my writing that wound up in the DVCode. That's why I began posting things on the web. By that accounting, I am very happy.
Second, as was clear from the threatening letter from Random House lawyer Trager, they filed suit to shut me up and to try and ruin me financially for having the nerve to stand up for myself.
They didn't shut me up and the judge denied their demands for more than $300,000 in legal fees.
The judge also said my legal case to defend myself from Random House and Dan Brown's legal assault was reasonable and properly brought. This flies in the face of RH's clearly libelous attempts to smear me and get away with the defamation by using legal filings as a thinly disguised cover for a press release. Yes, I do have a case there.
Third, while justice was never actually done by the court, I think that anytime a global megacorp, multi-billion-dollar bully with deep legal pockets throws everything it has at you ... and you walk away with what you wanted to begin with, then you also have a victory.
Finally, the losers in this whole thing are Katrina victims. I suggested long ago that this whole matter was a waste of time and money and that Random would be better off donating money to the Gulf Coast.
But , they went ahead and pissed the money away anyhow. Dumb. Vindictive. Bully.
First of all, what I wanted was credit for my writing that wound up in the DVCode. That's why I began posting things on the web. By that accounting, I am very happy.
Second, as was clear from the threatening letter from Random House lawyer Trager, they filed suit to shut me up and to try and ruin me financially for having the nerve to stand up for myself.
They didn't shut me up and the judge denied their demands for more than $300,000 in legal fees.
The judge also said my legal case to defend myself from Random House and Dan Brown's legal assault was reasonable and properly brought. This flies in the face of RH's clearly libelous attempts to smear me and get away with the defamation by using legal filings as a thinly disguised cover for a press release. Yes, I do have a case there.
Third, while justice was never actually done by the court, I think that anytime a global megacorp, multi-billion-dollar bully with deep legal pockets throws everything it has at you ... and you walk away with what you wanted to begin with, then you also have a victory.
Finally, the losers in this whole thing are Katrina victims. I suggested long ago that this whole matter was a waste of time and money and that Random would be better off donating money to the Gulf Coast.
But , they went ahead and pissed the money away anyhow. Dumb. Vindictive. Bully.