Breach Of Contract

Walt Disney Co. is alleging that the nation's biggest video store chain made it a Blockbuster nightmare for the entertainment giant by shortchanging it by $120 million. In a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed this week in federal court in Los Angeles, Disney alleges that starting in 1997, Blockbuster Inc. failed to account for missing videos, improperly charged the Burbank-based company for some promotional costs and prematurely sold videos before their rental life was finished.

Last year's box-office shipwreck, "Christopher Columbus: The Discovery," has set the father and son relationship between the movie's producers, Alexander and Ilya Salkind, adrift--possibly forever. The younger Ilya, 46, has sued Alexander, 72, his father and producing partner of 20 years, for breach of contract, fraud and racketeering over the $40-million picture that sunk at the box office. The $10-million suit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday.

The owner of two local auction companies has filed a lawsuit against Orange County seeking nearly $10 million in damages. Norman Haigh, who owns Auctions Plus in Garden Grove and Auction Services in El Toro, claims the county breached written agreements it had with him as a contractor to liquidate government surplus property and automobiles.

It used to be that professional tennis players, such as Ivan Lendl, fought their toughest battles on the tennis court. These days, though, the world's No. 1 tennis player is fighting not only those who would usurp his ranking on court but also against those who, he says, would take his money in court. Lendl is embroiled in three lawsuits at the moment, including one countersuit against his former management firm that seeks more than $40 million in damages.

A family that owns two concessions at the Disneyland Pacific Hotel in Anaheim won $400,000 in damages from Walt Disney Co. in a lawsuit that accused the entertainment giant of trying to run them out of business after Disney bought the hotel 3 1/2 years ago.

In the latest twist in the corporate uproar at Warner Music Group, another of the firm's ousted top record executives is expected to file a $15-million breach-of-contract suit today against the nation's largest music conglomerate. Melvyn R. Lewinter, former president and chief operating officer of Time Warner's domestic music division, was abruptly fired Wednesday--exactly five weeks after his boss Doug Morris got the boot.

One day after a jury awarded her $300,000 in a breach-of-contract lawsuit against the county, former finance director Eileen Walsh was placed on administrative leave with pay from her job at the county trash department. Integrated Waste Management Director Vicki Wilson informed Walsh at 8 a.m.

GB Foods Corp. filed suit Thursday against the parent company of the Carl's Jr. fast-food chain, alleging misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of contract and seeking more than $100 million in damages. In the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, GB Foods, parent of the Green Burrito restaurant chain, alleges that Anaheim-based CKE Restaurants Inc. copied GB Foods' concept when it launched Picante Grill, an addition of Mexican-style menu items at a Carl's Jr.

The dispute between Motown Record Co. and its distributor, MCA Records, intensified Tuesday as MCA countersued Motown and its majority owner for breach of contract and malicious conduct. MCA said it is owed millions of dollars by Boston Ventures Management Inc., which owns 70% of Motown. Boston Ventures is also accused of interfering with MCA's management of the small label and with "preventing Motown from realizing profitable business opportunities."

What's in a name? If it's National Lampoon, the name is worth more than $5 million over the next three years, according to the company that owns the name and logo associated with the satirical magazine and movies such as "Animal House" and "National Lampoon's Vacation." But another company that is suing to foreclose on the National Lampoon trademark argues that the famous name is quickly losing value, and it should be allowed to sell all rights to the name and logo to satisfy a legal claim.