Judge allows lawsuit over The Pitt vs ER
The gist
A California appeals court unanimously ruled The Pitt is similar enough to ER for a lawsuit to proceed.
The case heads toward a 2027 jury trial over whether the show copies ER.
How it unfolded
- 1994Crichton and Warner Bros. agreed the studio would not make new material derivative of ER without his or his estate's permission; ER launched that year.
- 2020Talk of a possible ER reboot began and Warner Bros. spent months negotiating with Crichton's estate; Sherri Crichton later alleged the studio developed the reboot without her knowledge.
- 2022Sherri Crichton said she learned of the plans and negotiated with the studio, but the terms were revoked and talks halted.
Key terms
- anti-SLAPP law
- A law that lets defendants quickly dismiss lawsuits intended to silence critics by burdening them with legal costs.
- prima facie case
- A case that appears sufficient on first impression to justify proceeding, without requiring conclusive proof.
- PTSD
- A mental disorder developing after a traumatic event, with symptoms like disturbing thoughts and avoidance lasting over a month.
Source: Wikipedia