Date: 09-28-2001

Case Style: Cheryl Ruffin-Steinback, et al. v. Suzanne dePasse, et al.

Case Number: 00-1260

Judge: Unknown

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Plaintiff's Attorney: Gregory J. Reed of Gregory J. Reed & Associates, Detroit, Michigan, for Appellants.

Defendant's Attorney: Herschel P. Fink of Honigman, Miller, Schwartz & Cohn, Detroit, Michigan, for Appellees.

Description: In November of 1998, National Broadcasting Company ("NBC") aired a four-hour mini-series depicting the Temptations as recounted in a novel written by Otis Williams, a founding member of the legendary recording group. Plaintiffs in this action include Cheryl Ruffin-Steinback, individually and as representative of the estate of Davis E. Ruffin, lead singer of the group from 1964 to 1968 who was known professionally as David Ruffin; Nedra Ruffin, Kimberly Bogan, and David Ruffin, Jr., the children of Davis Ruffin; Earline Ruffin, the mother of Davis Ruffin; Rose Franklin, the mother of Melvin Franklin, a member of the group; Josephine Miles, the first wife of Otis Williams; and Johnnie Mae Mathews, the first agent of the Temptations.

Plaintiffs have appealed only their state law tort claims for violation of the right of publicity, unjust enrichment, defamation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress against Defendants dePasse Entertainment, NBC, David Picker, and Hallmark Entertainment, Inc. Defendants Suzanne dePasse, Otis Williams, Shelly Berger, and Characters Unlimited were never served with the complaint and have been dismissed from this case.

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Click the case caption above for the full text of the Court's opinion.

Outcome: Affirmed.

Plaintiff's Experts: Unknown

Defendant's Experts: Unknown

Comments: None