Without getting into it, I'm looking to obtain legal council.  I'm of course not asking for a freebie (ie. I'll pay you), but would love to speak with a lawyer who is more familiar with our hobby.

I'll of course also keep your identity anonymous.

Thanks

Sorry to hear that. Hope it works out for you.

Duane

baseball bats are cheaper. just joking good luck.

lol touché, Stan.. but I better not mention anything like that just yet  

Have you considered an American lawyer? There are a few on RGP...

If someone is taking any legal action in Canada they will need to contact you through a Canadian lawyer, as I understand it. If it is from the US and you are in Canada I wouldnt sweat it yet.

On the other hand if you are taking action against a US individual/group, you will need to hire a lawyer licensed in that state.


We do cross border business at my work so on a rare occasion this is something we have dealt with.

Quoted from wbradley

If someone is taking any legal action in Canada they will need to contact you through a Canadian lawyer, as I understand it. If it is from the US and you are in Canada I wouldnt sweat it yet.

That's what I was figuring, which is why I was just looking for advice at this point    (again, not FREE advice)

Quoted from machine.slave

That's what I was figuring, which is why I was just looking for advice at this point    (again, not FREE advice)

Wayne doesn't have the money to spend 10 grand on a lawyer to get back half that based on suppositions, guestimates and hunches. I wouldn't worry too much. He's probably just flexing his puny arms just to look good.

What amazes me is that WMS actually sold this moron the rights. You would think that by now someone there would be sick and tired of being called for complaints over Wayne...

Why would WMS sell to someone they believe may actually do something useful and make their decision to end pinball look bad?  In hindsight, WMS did end up making the right decision for their company.

Quoted from pinsRfun

Why would WMS sell to someone they believe may actually do something useful and make their decision to end pinball look bad?  In hindsight, WMS did end up making the right decision for their company.

It's been 10 years. I'm sure that the people that made the decision to close pinball have moved on. They should now focus on earning as much money out of their property as they can, and Wayne isn't the way to do that. They need to license it to someone competent.

Quoted from Sparky

What amazes me is that WMS actually sold this moron the rights. You would think that by now someone there would be sick and tired of being called for complaints over Wayne...

I am curious what Gene Cunnigham would think about this?

I think that Gene things that wanus is a moron too.

I thought you worked out an amicable agreement with WMS by pulling certain items.

Who is the problem now;

WMS, Pinball Factory or Illinois?

My bet is on door number 2.

WMS is happy with our resolution, TPF is seeking damages.

You also need to keep in mind, Mr. Gillard was a respected and reputable pinball hobbyist back when WMS sold him the license to use their IP's.  Now.. not so much.

By the way, WMS remains the controlling party of their IP's here.

TPF bought rights in 05. How long does he have?

Hmmm. That doesn't compute. WMS is ok and TPF isn't. I'm not a lawyer but it sounds like you have a case.

WMS is a very different entity than it was back in '89. There isnt a trace of Neil Nicastro or his dad that I can see,  based on the current corporate profile.The Nicastros were the ones that bought the business and spun it off into a public offering in the late 80's, giving them the capital to buy up Bally/Midway and then spin off Midway as a separate entity I believe. They did what they had to for the stockholders back then. In the end it was probably a smart financial decision.

Now, the company is deeply dedicated to lottery (Powerball, etc) and video casino hardware. The big cash also comes from leasing for revenue share to casinos, many which have opened in the last decade for the benefit of native groups.

I have been watching the stock, WMS on the NYSE for quite some time and they made a hell of a surge after the big collapse of the banking system in the US. The only reason I dont own shares is the lack of a dividend paid. Growth wise, they have done phenominally well in tha past 18+ months.

While the WMS pinball licensing is an asset, I am sure they dedicate little more than legal administration and accounting for that business these days. It's the little guys, TPF and IP who need to protect themselves. Any businessman in the 7 figure investment range will need to keep the dogs on attack mode or else devaluate their business.  On the other hand, there is no reason to believe that dealing internationally for punitive damages likely in the 5 figure range net will be worth their while. However, they are proving this is not to be taken lightly.

A lesson learned here? For sure.  Damages to be awarded? Very doubtful.

Again they are proving they are not to be taken lightly. And it might be costing them money to do so, so dont give then a reason to want to try and recoup any expenses.