Michael Jackson musical blocked by estate Broadway producer Nederlander filed a suit against the estate of Michael Jackson claiming the estate won’t clear the right to use songs, including Beat It, Billie Jean, and Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin. From TMZ. ASCAP files 21 scattershot copyright lawsuits The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) [...]

The heirs of George and Ira Gershwin have filed multiple suits (one in Federal court, the other in a Los Angeles Superior Court) disputing foreign royalties which represent roughly $200,000 of a catalog yielding $8 million a year. More from LA Times. Firebowl makers feud over the validity of copyright, ability to compete in the [...]

Forty years after his death in 1969, the fate of Jack Kerouac’s estate may finally be settled.  With an apparent worth of $91.00 when he died, the value ha since  swelled to around $20 million. However, it was the concern of many, including his daughter, Jan. Kerouac left the body of his estate to his [...]

Mark Rothko died testate on February 25, 1970 leaving an estate consisting primarily of 798 paintings. Within three weeks, the co-executors of his estate, Bernard J. Reis, Theodoros Stamos, and Morton Levine hastily executed 2 contracts disposing of the majority of the paintings. Rothko’s daughter (Kate) and son (Christopher), in addition to the Mark Rothko [...]