A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

NASCAR DADS TO SCHEDULE RALLY AGAINST "ACTIVIST JUDGES": Semi-random email recieved this morning alleges that the anticipated release of the Dukes of Hazzard Movie will be delayed by an injunction issued out of the Central District of California. Apparently the new flic is too too similar to the based-on-a-true-story basis for the original Dukes series.

Quoth the forwarded (plausible-looking but not independently verified) docket sheet:

06/17/2005 56 ORDER by Judge Gary A. Feess : granting [41] Motion for Preliminary Injunction. WHEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, that in accordance with Rule 65 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Warner Bros. and its officers, directors,representatives, employees, agents and all person acting in concert with it are preliminarily enjoined during the pendencey of this action from preparing producing, editing, distributing, advertising, exploiting, copying, publishing, or licensing, for theatrical sequels based on or derived from the feature motion picture entitled "Moonrunners." Warner Bros, shall within 10 days of the date of entry of this preliminary injunction, provide a copy of this Preliminary injunction order to all of their respective officers, directors, agents, management level employees, distributors, respresentative and partners. This Preliminary injunction shall take effect immediately upon plaintiff Moonrunners Limited Partnership filing with the court an injunction bond in the amount of $5,000,00 which the court finds reasonable and appropriated under the facts and the law. (yc, ) (Entered: 06/21/2005)

If true, and if the plaintiff prevails, one might wonder how CBS managed to omit the industry standard "in perpetuity throughout the universe" clause from their original purchase of the 1975 Moonrunners franchise.

More importantly for American Justice, however, we might wonder how Judge Feess will weather the inevitable storm of criticism now that his skepticism about Jessica Simpson's hottness is a matter of public record. To wit:

06/17/2005 58 MEMORANDUM RE: PLAINTIFFS' MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION by Judge Gary A. Feess The court HEREBY fixes bond in the amount of $5 million for payment of such costs and damages as may be incurred of suffered if defendants are found to have been wrongfully enjoined. Of course defendants estimate their losses to be significantly higher. However, their numbers are based on their own internal estimates of the film's potential profits, which are in turn based on difficult to quantify perceptions such as the "fact" that "Jessica Simpson is extremely "hot right now" and the belief that the film will be stigmatized [if] its release date slips. The court finds the amount reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances. (yc, ) (Entered: 06/21/2005)

Insert joke about in camera inspection of proffered evidence (*here*).