A judge on Wednesday threw out several of Michael's claims in a lawsuit against Universal Music, saying he could not claim royalties from the sale of records prior to 1994. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Emilie Elias had previously dismissed two of Michael's claims, and on Wednesday dismissed more, while allowing his claims of breach of contract and accounting against Universal to proceed. "Jackson's claims are without merit. Thus, it was not surprising that the court today dismissed some of those claims. We are confident the remaining ones will ultimately be dismissed," said a spokesman for Vivendi Universal's Universal Music. The suit accused Universal of violating a 1980 agreement to pay Jackson royalties from recordings he made with the Jackson 5 and as a solo artist from 1969 to 1976 for Motown Records, which is now owned by Universal. The suit said Jackson reached a settlement with Motown in 1980 in which he forfeited rights to royalties for songs released before then, but th
at Motown was to pay Jackson royalties for previously unreleased materials and songs re-released on best-of compilations. Jackson had sought an accounting of royalties and unspecified damages, and also wanted the 1980 settlement voided. The judge on Wednesday limited Jackson to seeking damages for alleged nonpayment only as far back as 1994.
(Source: MJ Star)