Entry tags:

entitlement, fandom: harry potter, internet lawyers, this is the wank that never ends

Autographed by who?
Previously: WB figures out how to hit print, a restraining order is granted, both RDR and SVA update, Whomping Willows weigh in, a Salon blogger doesn't get it, comments explode.

Today, from auralan: You, too, can contribute to RDR's defense fund.

We will continue to update on our legal defense of author Steve Vander Ark. Because we have agreed to not take new orders until the court makes its decision at a February 8 hearing on the plaintiff's request for an injunction, you can still buy any of our other books. If you have already ordered the Lexicon and would like to have your prepayment refunded simply email us. Otherwise your payment will be held in an escrow account until the court decides if we can ship you the book. RDR Books welcomes your support for our significant legal expenses in this David and Goliath legal battle. You can help us defend the rights of authors like Steve Vander Ark and readers everywhere by buying our other titles on this site or at your favorite bookstore. We also welcome contributions to the RDR Books Lexicon Defense Fund. All contributors will receive a free autographed book from RDR, ideal for Christmas giving.

ETA 2: From immlass, more from Salon: More on why Rowling is wrong on the Potter lexicon.

ETA 3: By legionseagle, via blackflag: Top Ten Hints For Stopping An Awkward Situation Turning Into an Multi-Part Farce.

From lerefuge: Harmony Forever weighs in. The Avada Kedavra satellite referenced: a classic Scott Lynch LJ entry. Note: Early on, when I was casting a wider net and posting a lot of different things because we didn't quite know in what direction things were going to go, I linked to some speculation here that the Lexicon had an anti-Ginny bias. I shouldn't have done that--it didn't have anything to do with the lawsuit. It was wanky and I'm sorry.

From tunxeh: A new thread about the lawsuit on Boing Boing. It's based around the Salon link, by the way.

tez shows up with the Seal of Extreme Fail! Huzzah!

ETA 4: From lucky13: Ars Technica doesn't get it, either.

ETA 5: From auralan: RDR was served, and apparently the recipient (Rapoport?) refused to give his name to the server.

ETA 6: tunxeh: "And now it's on Slashdot. Linked only to the Ars Technica post, which calls the Lexicon a blog and seems to be based on the Salon story. Or maybe Ars Technica is based on Boing Boing's take on the Salon story, I can't tell any more."

ETA 7: From auralan: RDR updates again. "The irony of an author suing a librarian has not been lost on many commentators including one attorney who told us: 'If the world's first libraries opened this year, I seriously wonder if there might be lawyers at the front door trying to stop reference books of all kinds from going up on the shelves.'"

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

auralan
2007-11-15 04:14 am UTC (link)

Deleted first try because I suck at html.

The affidavit of service was posted to the legal site. It looks like Cousin Vinny had a lot to read up on before they even got to court.

They've been served a heaping helping of trouble.

The amusing part:

snipped long list of documents

So, um, if I'm reading this right, RDR refused to give his name to the process server. Lovely. Really. That always helps.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	limyaael 2007-11-15 04:22 am UTC (link)
	Of course he did! He's an internet celebrity! The process server should totally know who he is already. ...I refuse to speculate about further ways that RDR can dig themselves a hole. The ways they actually come up with are far more fascinating than what I imagine. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	cleolinda 2007-11-15 04:42 am UTC (link)
	Did he think that, like, if he didn't admit to being Roger Rapoport, they couldn't get him or something? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	auralan 2007-11-15 04:47 am UTC (link)
	That's far from the worst strategy he's employed thus far. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	kerryblaze 2007-11-15 05:33 am UTC (link)
	It's like when my cat thinks if she can't see me, then I can't see her. It's cat logic, ya see. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	agent_hyatt 2007-11-15 06:12 am UTC (link)
	Bugblatter beast of Traal logic, more like it. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	ballseyboo 2007-11-15 08:17 am UTC (link)
	Yeah, lol!cats. Our cat sneaks around to my grandma's side of the house thinking that if he sneaks to the side of the dining table no one can see him, 'coz you know he can't see us. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wallflower 2007-11-15 08:44 am UTC (link)
	One of our cats puts her head and shoulders under the couch and lets the rest of her stick out, and she seems to think she's "hiding." from us. (And she's supposed to be the bright cat, too.) (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cythraul 2007-11-15 02:21 pm UTC (link)
	We used to have a cat who, when he got into rooms he wasn't supposed to be in, wouldn't know all the good hiding spots - so he'd try to hide behind himself. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	antigone 2007-11-15 06:09 pm UTC (link)
	My cat believes if she walks real down-low-like all hunched up, we can't see her even if she walks right in front of us. It's comical. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	ballseyboo 2007-11-16 12:53 am UTC (link)
	Maybe she was an ostrich in her previous existence? ^^ (Reply to this)(Parent)

	caffeine_fairy 2007-11-15 02:45 pm UTC (link)
	I hear he has also taken to wearing a fake plastic nose and Groucho Marks glasses. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	blackflag 2007-11-15 05:15 am UTC (link)
	headdesk So...is he going to later try the 'I never got the papers' defence because he didn't give his name? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

auralan
2007-11-15 05:27 am UTC (link)

I'm not going to say no. They defy logic and reason.

However, this was the Halloween serving, so they have hired a lawyer and sent him to court on their behalf since then. It would seem a bit late.

I'm just amazed that every single filing so far has things in it that add dumbass points to RDR's score. Seriously, have they done anything right? Anything in all of this?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	tunxeh 2007-11-15 05:39 am UTC (link)
	Seriously, have they done anything right? Anything in all of this? They hired a lawyer. (Not the cousin: the one who filed the my-cousin-the-lawyer-needs-to-read-up-on-IP brief.) It's not much, but it's better than not hiring a lawyer. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	auralan 2007-11-15 05:42 am UTC (link)
	But it wasn't the right kind of lawyer. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	squeakytoy 2007-11-15 05:15 pm UTC (link)
	What? Wait, there are different kinds of lawyers??? (Reply to this)(Parent)

	blackflag 2007-11-15 05:53 am UTC (link)
	I can't think of a single thing. I am completely boggled by it. It's almost Darwin Award winning! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	huehau 2007-11-15 06:08 am UTC (link)
	This case will be studied in law schools throughout the country as an example of everything you can do wrong when facing a lawsuit. If RDR doesn't show up in court, it'll be textbook. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	blackflag 2007-11-15 06:21 am UTC (link)
	Throughout the world! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	turnip_girl 2007-11-15 08:00 am UTC (link)
	It really is very simple. Roger Rapoport's real name is John Doe. Rapoport is only a nom de plume. Something romantic and different instead of the rather plain John Doe. Wife's name is Jane. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	camilla 2007-11-15 08:13 am UTC (link)
	Lololol. (Reply to this)(Parent)

(Read comments) -