In a recent ruling, the Michigan Court of Appeals upheld a trial court’s decision to impose triple damages on Mike Skill, a member of the renowned rock band, the Romantics. The penalty stemmed from a legal blunder where Skill’s new attorney inadvertently submitted a document identical to the opponent’s brief. The mishap occurred during a lawsuit accusing Skill of misappropriating royalty payments.
Background and Court Proceedings
The lawsuit, initiated by a company managing the Romantics’ affairs, Master Beat Inc., and fellow band member Walter Palamarchuk (known as Wally Palmar), alleged Skill’s improper diversion of royalties. The trial court, responding to the plaintiffs’ motion for summary disposition, ordered Skill to pay triple damages exceeding $232,300. This decision was upheld by the appeals court in an unpublished opinion issued on February 29.
Skill, recognized for co-writing the hit song “What I Like About You,” found himself in legal jeopardy due to his attorney’s inadvertent submission. Intended as an opposition to the plaintiff’s motion, the June 2022 brief turned out to be a replica of the plaintiffs’ submission. Despite efforts to rectify the error with an amended filing, the trial judge proceeded to grant summary disposition to the plaintiffs.
Allegations and Financial Transactions
The crux of the lawsuit revolved around Skill’s handling of royalty payments. Allegations suggested Skill diverted payments directly to himself, bypassing the contractual protocol through Master Beat Inc. It was claimed Skill received substantial sums from entities like Sony Music Publishing and K-Tel International without proper authorization. Additionally, a withdrawal of $20,000 from a Master Beat bank account further fueled the accusations of financial impropriety.
Legal Counsel and Arguments
Skill’s legal predicament was exacerbated by a series of unfortunate events involving his legal representation. A change in attorneys, triggered by a previous lawyer’s attempt to withdraw due to unpaid bills, coincided with the filing mishap. The new attorney attributed the error to time constraints, her illness, and the paralegal’s oversight. Despite arguments asserting Skill’s rights to the funds in question, the court upheld the ruling, emphasizing the lack of a timely and properly filed response.
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