In an alleged decision released Monday, a Los Angeles County Supreme Court judge said he was willing to comply with a request from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for a summary ruling against producer Michael Schumberg’s lawsuit against an intergroup.
Judge Jay Ford III said he was convinced that courts should “refuse to exercise jurisdiction over disputes over the rights and duties of members of a private voluntary association.”
The decision isn’t final, but it nearly closed the door on Shamberberg and his lawyers in a hearing scheduled for Tuesday in Division O of the Santa Monica courthouse.
Shamberg sought to determine that the Academy’s Board of Governors should vote on his proposals for an Oscar-related social media program and annual membership poll. Governors said they were not required to vote on statute changes proposed by members; But they later changed the rules to clarify the process for member submissions. Shamberg’s lawsuit alleges that post facto restrictions on member proposals violated California law.
In his ruling, Ford said conflicting interpretations showed ambiguity in the statutes, a situation that forces courts to refrain from ruling in order not to fall into the “sad quagmire” of disputes.
Although they declined to vote on Shamberg’s proposals, the academy’s governors said they plan to hold annual members’ meetings and that the group is expanding its social media presence.
Source: Deadline
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