New Convoluted Legal Situation Involving Righthaven Intensifies; Awaiting On Courts

In yet another "convoluted legal situation involving the Las Vegas-based copyright lawsuit filer," writes VEGAS INC, the struggle of who really controls Righthaven LLC lurches forward. After the court-appointed receiver, attorney Lara Pearson, moved to fire CEO Steve Gibson last week as well as ordering attorney Erik Syverson to stop acting on behalf of the "original" Righthaven, Syverson filed documents with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday on behalf of the entity anyway.

According to the same news article, Syverson will stand by, awaiting guidance from the court on how to proceed. Whether Judge Phillip Pro (who approved the receivership) or the 9th Circuit will resolve this new complicated situation involving Righthaven and Steve Gibson is unclear. What's at stake in this appeals case is if Righthaven had standing to sue Wayne Hoehn, who posted a Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial in full on a message board, and if Hoehn's posting was protected by fair use.

After Firing Steve Gibson, Receiver Gains Representation by First Amendment Attorney

News about Righthaven continues to pick up. It began at the start of the week when the court-appointed receiver, Lara Pearson, fired CEO Steve Gibson and his wife, formerly the COO, Raisha “Drizzle” Gibson after learning that Gibson had engaged an attorney to write a 30-page reply brief (6-months after it was due) for Righthaven v. Hoehn. That case is currently under review by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Righthaven had virtually ceased functioning by the end of September 2011, and by the time Pearson was appointed in December, Righthaven was immersed in debt.

See: Receiver’s Report to Court: Termination of Steve Gibson

In Monday's court filing, Pearson also attached a letter she sent to Gibson that stated Pearson "will be taking legal action against you for your ultra vires acts as well as for claims of legal malpractice, which led the company to its current state." On Friday, it was announced that First Amendment attorney Allen Lichtenstein, a private attorney and general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, signed on in the capacity as a private attorney to represent the receiver in an effort to put an end to Gibson pursing its appeals. This is not Lichtenstein's first interaction with Righthaven.

See: VEGAS INC article in full