Legal Question in Entertainment Law in California

Can a contract be voided if it was signed under duress, even though the contract has a stipulation, that I was not signing it under duress, this pertains to American Idol, and 19 Entertainment, Fox networks and Freemantle media...

The duress as I'll state was this, A rifle was stolen from me, and I reported it to the police but they did nothing, and the person who stole had connections to gangs, so they started stalking and harassing my house hold, and I was in fear of my life, this went on for months, but I wound up going to Idol to make it stop hoping that public exposure would frighten them away...

this was achieved, but here's the problem I got the public exposure, but in doing so, 19 Entertainment committed a gross act of fraud that I can prove, only their contracts state that if I do so I automatically owe them 5,000,000 + damages...

I believe that the contract I signed should be completely voided, since I signed it under duress, and since these guys didn't deliver me a recording contract but instead ruined my name as a potential rockstar through their fraud, now its three years later, and I'm set to become a full blown Rockstar, I can of course do this without telling my story, but I want my story told, this is personal for me, and I want to expose 19 Entertainment for committing fraud against me, but if I do so I could owe them Millions and Millions...

I know the simple and easy answer is dont tell the story, but I dont think that its right that I should have to let my story go, its my story and these fuckers nearly got me killed hundreds of times as a result...

Would the law be on my side or theirs, I think the main point I'm looking for here is this, Is my being there under duress automatically void their contract even though they made me sign a clause saying I wasn't under duress, because if I didn't sign, I'd be dead from outside influences...


Asked on 2/04/10, 11:16 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys
Michael Stone Law Offices of Michael B. Stone Toll Free 1-855-USE-MIKE

I have always wondered about the American Idol/Fremantle Media contracts and whether they could be set aside as legally unconscionable. However, I haven't read it, and no lawyer can interpret a contract without reading it. You need to sit down with me or some other attorney in whom you have confidence. I have some ideas about the other facts you mentioned, but your questions and my answers can be retrieved by others and I don't want to reveal my thought processes to your potential adversaries.. Again, I would be interested in speaking with you directly at any time day or night, and I am sure you will hear from other LawGuru attorneys.

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Answered on 2/09/10, 11:27 pm
James Bame San Diego Law Office

Were you dropped from the contest because of the incident? Perhaps you have a breach of contract cause of action thereon. Contact me directly.

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Answered on 2/10/10, 10:02 am


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