One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Ashton Kutcher's Lawsuit Against the DMV Gets Green Light [UPDATED]
Photo by coolmikeol via Flickr
Remember how there was going to be a reality television show about life inside the California Department of Motor Vehicles? When that show, expected to provide viewers "a glimpse at what DMV workers experience, from strange to hilarious," didn't happen, Kutcher's production company filed a lawsuit against the DMV, and, not surprisingly, the DMV balked.
Today, a Los Angeles judge has issued a tentative ruling in favor of Kutcher's Katalyst Media, ostensibly giving the lawsuit a green light, reports City News Service. The DMV had asked for the suit to be dismissed. The suit alleges breach of contract, claiming the DMV broke a May 2011 agreement allowing the production access to field offices to produce their half-hour reality show.
The state says that contract came up short on details, like at which offices filming was to take place, and on what dates. However, an attorney for Kutcher claims the DMV agreed to specifics later, including which locations were to be filmed first (Montebello, Van Nuys, Santa Monica, Torrance and Culver City) and which locations were off-limits (downtown Los Angeles, Compton and Inglewood).
A second production company working with Katalyst Media also has a suit pending. A hearing is set to take place next week, at which time the judge will make a final decision on the suits.
UPDATE JAN. 7: It's official: The suit can go ahead. Today, Superior Court Judge Michael Johnson adopted the tentative decision he issued Friday, according to City News Service. A trial has been set for July 8.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
