In September 2003, the Los Angeles and New York District Offices and San Diego Office of the EEOC filed this lawsuit against the collective enterprises making up Universal Pictures(Vivendi Universal SA, Vivendi Universal Group LLP, Universal Pictures, Universal Studios LLLP, Vivendi Universal Entertainment LLLP, Universal City Studios LLLP, Universal Pictures Inc.) in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleging discrimination on the basis of race, black, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. We do not have a copy of the complaint; therefore, the exact allegations involved are unknown. However, it appears the EEOC's 2006 press release that the defendant allegedly terminated the employment of the complainant from his position as first assistant director on the film "2 Fast 2 Furious" based upon his race. The complainant intervened in the lawsuit in March 2005. Following extensive discovery, a failed motion for summary judgment by the defendant, and defendant's successful motion to dismiss breach of contract and fraud claims by the intervenor-plaintiff upheld by the 9th Circuit, the lawsuit was tried before a jury in June 2007, and before the judge in June 2007. The intervenor complainant's lawsuit against the defendant was settled and dismissed in July 2007. The defendnat's motion for judgment as a matter of law was granted in October 2007. The Court billed the EEOC $54,313.07 in costs for the lawsuit. The EEOC appealed this judgment to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in December 2007. No judgment from the Ninth Circuit was made prior to the collection of this case; therefore, the outcome of this appeal is unknown.

Daisy Manning - 04/14/2008


compress summary