Raphael Gregorian

A federal appeals court sided with the Soviet Union on Wednesday in its legal battle with a Palo Alto businessman, who charged the Soviet government with libel and breach of contract and tried to recover his losses by attaching its bank accounts in this country. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal district court ruling that overturned a $250,000 libel judgment to Raphael Gregorian, 59, a former exporter of medical supplies. At the same time, the judges reversed the federal court's decision to award the businessman $163,000 in a breach-of-contract dispute.

After years of litigation between a Palo Alto businessman and the Soviet Union, a settlement was reached on the American's lawsuit charging Moscow with libel for accusing him of being a spy and breach of contract, it was announced Monday. "I'm satisfied," the businessman, Raphael Gregorian, 61, said in a telephone interview. "It was a mutual decision." Gregorian's Los Angeles attorney, Gerald L. Kroll, said Soviet negotiators admitted to "a misunderstanding" in accusing his client of spying.

Attorneys for the Soviet Union and the U.S. government joined forces in an unusual alliance to battle an American businessman's libel suit against the Soviets. Raphael Gregorian, who was denounced by the Soviets and barred from selling medical supplies in Moscow in 1984, has asked the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate a $250,000 libel judgment. The Soviets have resisted and the U.S.

A federal appeals court sided with the Soviet Union on Wednesday in its legal battle with a Palo Alto businessman, who charged the Soviet government with libel and breach of contract and tried to recover his losses by attaching its bank accounts in this country. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal district court ruling that overturned a $250,000 libel judgment to Raphael Gregorian, 59, a former exporter of medical supplies. At the same time, the judges reversed the federal court's decision to award the businessman $163,000 in a breach-of-contract dispute.

After years of litigation between a Palo Alto businessman and the Soviet Union, a settlement was reached on the American's lawsuit charging Moscow with libel for accusing him of being a spy and breach of contract, it was announced Monday. "I'm satisfied," the businessman, Raphael Gregorian, 61, said in a telephone interview. "It was a mutual decision." Gregorian's Los Angeles attorney, Gerald L. Kroll, said Soviet negotiators admitted to "a misunderstanding" in accusing his client of spying.

A Los Angeles federal judge overturned a default judgment won by a Palo Alto businessman against the official Soviet newspaper Izvestia and released $456,000 in Soviet funds frozen to pay the award, it was reported Tuesday. U.S. District Judge David V. Kenyon's clerk confirmed that the judge had issued two orders in the Raphael Gregorian case, but she declined to discuss them. However, United Press International reported late in the day that it had confirmed the contents of the orders.

A Palo Alto businessman embroiled in a libel dispute with the Soviet government newspaper Izvestia filed a $10-million claim against the U.S. government on Monday, alleging that it was improperly attempting to pressure him to give up his fight. Raphael Gregorian charged the United States with wrongdoing for attempting to help Izvestia, which called him a spy, serve him with documents from a Moscow court.

Lawyers representing two Soviet agencies and the U.S. government called on a Los Angeles federal court judge Wednesday to vacate a $413,000 libel judgment won by a Palo Alto businessman after he sued the newspaper Izvestia for calling him a spy. Martin Popper, a New York-based attorney representing the Soviet defendants, cited the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and argued that District Judge David V. Kenyon lacked jurisdiction to enter a judgment in favor of businessman Raphael Gregorian.

A federal judge overturned on Monday an unprecedented $250,000 libel award against the Soviet newspaper Izvestia, concluding that U.S. citizens are barred under federal law from bringing libel suits against foreign governments. U.S. District Judge David V.

In an unusual move, attorneys in the 49 other states joined lawyers in California today in registering a copy of the first libel judgment against the Soviet Union in the history of the United States. The nationwide registration establishes a lien on all Soviet-held assets in the United States and is the first step toward their attachment. At stake is $413,000.

Attorneys for the Soviet Union and the U.S. government joined forces in an unusual alliance to battle an American businessman's libel suit against the Soviets. Raphael Gregorian, who was denounced by the Soviets and barred from selling medical supplies in Moscow in 1984, has asked the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate a $250,000 libel judgment. The Soviets have resisted and the U.S.

A Palo Alto businessman embroiled in a libel dispute with the Soviet government newspaper Izvestia filed a $10-million claim against the U.S. government on Monday, alleging that it was improperly attempting to pressure him to give up his fight. Raphael Gregorian charged the United States with wrongdoing for attempting to help Izvestia, which called him a spy, serve him with documents from a Moscow court.

A federal judge overturned on Monday an unprecedented $250,000 libel award against the Soviet newspaper Izvestia, concluding that U.S. citizens are barred under federal law from bringing libel suits against foreign governments. U.S. District Judge David V.

A Los Angeles federal judge overturned a default judgment won by a Palo Alto businessman against the official Soviet newspaper Izvestia and released $456,000 in Soviet funds frozen to pay the award, it was reported Tuesday. U.S. District Judge David V. Kenyon's clerk confirmed that the judge had issued two orders in the Raphael Gregorian case, but she declined to discuss them. However, United Press International reported late in the day that it had confirmed the contents of the orders.

Lawyers representing two Soviet agencies and the U.S. government called on a Los Angeles federal court judge Wednesday to vacate a $413,000 libel judgment won by a Palo Alto businessman after he sued the newspaper Izvestia for calling him a spy. Martin Popper, a New York-based attorney representing the Soviet defendants, cited the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and argued that District Judge David V. Kenyon lacked jurisdiction to enter a judgment in favor of businessman Raphael Gregorian.

A Los Angeles lawyer seeking to collect a libel judgement against the Soviet Union and the newspaper Izvestia asked for a contempt order against the Bank of America for refusing to turn over $456,413 in Soviet funds. Attorney Gerald Kroll, representing Palo Alto businessman Raphael Gregorian, said that the bank, which received an order directing it to release the funds last week, is now refusing to turn any of the money over. Gregorian, called a U.S.