4/28/2011

New Michael Jackson Domain Names

The Michael Jackson Estate just registered a couple of new domain names related to the first "MichaelFest" event they announced yesterday for this December.
As I previously reported, the MJ Estate registered the "MichaelFest" trademark a year ago. Now we know the reason.

See below the list of the new domain names:
MICHAEL-FEST.COM
MICHAEL-FEST.NET
MICHAEL-FEST.ORG
MICHAEL-JACKSON-FAN-FEST.COM
MICHAEL-JACKSON-FESTIVAL.COM
MICHAEL-JACKSON-FESTIVAL.NET
MICHAEL-JACKSON-INTERNATIONAL-FESTIVAL.COM
MICHAEL-JACKSON-INTERNATIONAL-FESTIVAL.NET
MICHAEL-JACKSON-INTERNATIONAL-TRIBUTE.COM
MICHAELFEST.NET
MICHAELFEST.ORG
MICHAELJACKSON-FESTIVAL.COM
MICHAELJACKSON-FESTIVAL.NET
MICHAELJACKSONFANFEST.COM
MICHAELJACKSONFANFEST.NET
MICHAELJACKSONFANFEST.ORG
MICHAELJACKSONFESTIVALINTERNATIONAL.COM
MICHAELJACKSONFESTIVALINTERNATIONAL.NET
MJ-IF.COM
MJ-IF.NET
THE-FIRST-ANNUAL-MICHAEL-JACKSON-INTERNATIONAL-FESTIVAL.COM
THEFIRSTANNUALMICHAELJACKSONINTERNATIONALFESTIVAL.COM
THEMICHAELFEST.COM
THEMICHAELFEST.NET
THEMICHAELFEST.ORG
THEMICHAELJACKSON-FESTIVAL.COM
THEMICHAELJACKSON-FESTIVAL.NET
THEMICHAELJACKSONFANFEST.COM
THEMICHAELJACKSONFANFEST.NET
THEMICHAELJACKSONFANFEST.ORG
THEMICHAELJACKSONFANFESTIVAL.COM
THEMICHAELJACKSONFANFESTIVAL.NET
THEMICHAELJACKSONFANFESTIVAL.ORG
THESECONDANNUALMICHAELJACKSONINTERNATIONALFESTIVAL.COM


And just for the curiosity, below you may find the whole list of domains owned by The Michael Jackson Company LLC:

365MJ.COM
BESTOFMICHAELJACKSON.COM
CLUB-MJ.COM
CLUBJACKSON.COM
JACKSONWEAR.COM
MICHAEL-JACKSON-LIVE.COM
MICHAEL-JACKSON-RINGTONES.COM
MICHAEL-JACKSON.BIZ
MICHAEL-JACKSON.NET
MICHAEL-JACKSON.ORG
MICHAEL-JACKSON.TV
MICHAEL-JACKSONS-NEVERLAND-RANCH.COM
MICHAELJACKSON-LIVE.COM
MICHAELJACKSON.TV
MICHAELJACKSONBIOGRAPHY.COM
MICHAELJACKSONCOMPANY.COM
MICHAELJACKSONFANCLUB.COM
MICHAELJACKSONLIVE.COM
MICHAELJACKSONRINGTONE.COM
MICHAELJACKSONRINGTONES.COM
MICHAELJJACKSON.COM
MICHAELJOSEPHJACKSON.COM
MICHAELJOSEPHJACKSON.ORG
MIJACMUSIC.COM
MJEXCLUSIVE.COM
MJJ-FILMS.COM
MJJ-NEWS.COM
MJJ-NEWS.NET
MJJ.BIZ
MJJ.NET
MJJFANCLUB.COM
MJJFANSONLINE.COM
MJJFILMS.COM
MJJMUSIC.NET
MJJONLINE.NET
MJJPRODUCTIONS.COM
MJJRADIO.COM
MJRADIO.COM
NEVERLAND.ORG
PETERPAN.NET
PETERPAN.ORG
THEJACKSON5.COM
THEJACKSON5.NET
THEJACKSON5.ORG
THEJACKSONFIVE.COM
THEJACKSONFIVE.NET
THEJACKSONFIVE.ORG
THEJACKSONS.BIZ
THEJACKSONS.COM
THEJACKSONYEARS.COM
THEKINGOFPOP.COM
THEMICHAELJACKSONCOMPANY.COM
THEMICHAELJACKSONFANCLUB.COM

4/25/2011

New Release: Hollywood Tonight

Just to make some promotion to the new official release, the "Hollywood Tonight" single will hit the stores tomorrow!

This is the second song lifted from the "Michael" album. Features two versions of the song:
1. Michael Jackson - Hollywood Tonight - (Throwback Mix) 03:53
2. Michael Jackson - Hollywood Tonight - (DJ Chuckie Remix) 06:00

By the way I just found out that Dieter Wiesner's "ML Publishing LLC" still releases MJ related "official" matters. I wouldn't be surprised if the recent lawsuit against Wiesner would have something to do with the MJ Estate. As they have mentioned in a previous court document that they pursuaded legal actions both in Germany and Japan in intellectual property issues.

Two Unknown Michael Jackson Companies

Even after years of observing Michael Jackson businesses, I have found never mentioned companys related to him.

MJ established "99 Spanish Gate Drive LLC" on February 21, 2008 while staying in Las Vegas. The company's first officer was Michael Amir, MJ's longtime personal assistant. It has been recently taken over by the MJ Estate and shut down.
However the company's exact function is not known, the fact that the entity name refers to Prince Jefri Bolkiah's compound that MJ wanted to buy once tells a lot. The company might be responsible for managing MJ's share in the property (and this would explain the need of "Enchanted Kingdom LLC" to manage this or another property MJ wanted to get). This property is the seventh biggest one in Las Vegas as per the yearly property taxes!
According to the reports MJ moved into this home on July 1, 2007 and rented for about 6 months. Anyways the compound is now owned by the Prince and MJ has nothing to do with it.

On the very same day MJ established another company called "Desert Auto LLC". This company already existed in California since 2006, but it's profile is a complete mystery!
The Nevada entity has been closed down by the MJ Estate, however the Califorina company is still active.

4/23/2011

Michael Jackson Tidbits

Enchanted Kingdom LLc, registered in Nevada has been closed down. Still no information on what that company was responsible for.

In the Michael Jackson Estate vs. Howard Mann case, the defendant's request to dismiss the case, has been rejected by the judge. Obviously the case is not that simple as Mann would others see it, and it will go forward.

In the Michael Jackson Estate vs. Melissa Johnson case the parties agreed to settle the case out of the court room. The terms are not public yet, but the MJ Estate will get back everything, including the trademarks and the Heal The World Foundation.

4/15/2011

Michael Jackson Estate vs. Melissa Johnson: Defendants fights back!

Melissa Johnson's attorney replied on the approved motion regarding the exhibitions. Edgar Pease balmed (you won't guess it) the plaintiffs. He says that John Branca and co. can afford such an expensive legal team, but he is a "solo practicioner" and it was extremly hard for him to come up with the deadlines. It seems that Pease got religions saying that they were preparing the documents in "good faith" and they are "praying the court for deny" on the motion.

The defendants filed a lost of exhibits in a hurry. Most of the items has been listed without any explanation. Others are labelled like "the domain guy's e-mail".

Exhibit 3336:
"Johnson doesn’t sell, but donates the names to Jackson’s charity. Johnson encourages a Leslie in Email to do the same."
:)

4/14/2011

Michael Jackson Estate vs. Melissa Johnson - Exhibits banned from trial!

The Michael Jackson Estate requested the court to bann Melissa Johnson's part to present any of their exhibits on the trial. The Judge presiding in the case just approved this!

The reason for this request: the MJ Estate gave a list to the defendants as well presented their exhibits one month ago. Since then they continually requested for the same from the other side, that didn't happen. Even 1 week before the trial.

For example in the case of Katherine's declaration, the fifth page of her statement is missing, and none of the mentioned exhibits has been provided to the plaintiffs.

This means that on the non-jury trial Johnson's side can not present any exhibits in their posession related to the case.

Now Johnson's side is in a deep... problem.

4/13/2011

The Michael Jackson Estate vs. Melissa Johnson - Updates

More witness declarations in the above titled case:

- Brian Oxman testified that he has been called by Johnson in late 2004. She wanted MJ to be reminded about the expiration of the Heal The World Foundation.
Oxman said that back then he was MJ's attorney, but been released of all and any of his obligations, that the MJ Estate confirmed in a letter this January.
He said that in late 2004 Johnson asked for a meeting regarding the foundation, and explained her never ending story of the expiring domain names and trademarks. Oxman presented these informations to MJ, who said that he had a contract with Johnson previously about HTWF. Oxman furthermore states that MJ was furious at Lavely and Singer (Evan Spiegel), because he felt they abandoned him. And he wanted the company ran by Johnson, furthermore she can use the trademarks for selling items. As per Oxman's declaration.

- Howard Mann said that he started to have business with Katherine and Joseph in late 2009. They signed the business agreement in February, 2010. The deal was about the coffee table book Katherine later released.
Mann and Johnson first met when Katherine asked him to assist "her favorite charity" in some matters. The two has been introduced by the parent's manager. Katherine asked him to help Johnson to keep the HTWF properties. The next day Mann paid 10.000 for that purpose. He claims that after the MJ Estate found out their business relationship, they started to attack each of them.

- Mel Wilson made his statements as Johnson's longtime helper. The two worked together since 2001.
I was surprised to see that an e-mail I sent to Johnson 4 years ago has been included in the case as evidence. :) This was an e-mail I sent to her right after I found out in 2007 that she is collecting all kind of MJ domain names. Because of I didn't know anything of her motivation I started like i'm into buying one. Anyways now i'm really part of the case. :)
The rest of his declaration is already known from other sources. He surprisingly often argues with Spiegel's declarations and previous statements.

Michael Jackson Estate vs. Melissa Johnson - Updates

Updates in the above titled case:

- As an MJ Estate witness Karen Langford made a testify as well. She talked lot about MJ's past and things John Branca's testimony had. The most interesting part of her testimony was a list of companies whom MJ signed for manufacturing merchandises: Sony Signatures, MJ Net Entertainment, MJ Licensing LLC, AEG Live LLC (considering the cloud around MJ Licensing especially).

- Felix Sebacious made his statements on behalf of Bravado. He revealed that the first discussions between AEG and Bravado about the MJ themed merchandises started in March, 2009. Tom Bennett, president of Bravado personally presented MJ with the 300 items designed for his tour at Los Angeles. He says that since MJ's death they are serving as manufacturors as well they give the licensing rights to third parties with the prior consent of the MJ Estate. At the moment there are appr. 22 third party licenses for manufacturing MJ themed merchandises. Bravado blocked appr. 200.000 auctions on eBay since MJ's death due to copyright infrignment. Furthermore Bravado commenced more then 15 lawsuits against 50 defendants and seized over 7.500 items.
In August, 2009 Bravado even filed a lawsuit against Merrick Mint Inc. whom manufactured MJ coins based on a licensing agreement made with Johnson.
Since MJ's death more than 9 figures in retail dollar value of authorised, official MJ merchandises has been sold.

- Jeffrey Smith from Greenberg Traurig made a witness testify. Other than providing huge number of information on the MJ trademarks he didn't said anything new.

- Amongst the witnesses Evan S. Spiegel made his testify. He was the legal counsel of MJ between 1984 and 2005. He testified that Johnson has been reported by Evvy Tavasci in 2002 as harassing MJ and his family, employees. Like sending packages to MJ with Tavasci's return address on, or appearing at his home at Neverland. Johnson sent letters to Tavasci saying the she has been told by an "angel" that along with MJ she has to work on Heal The World Foundation. She furthermore stated the HTWF foundation won't go forward without her, and that someday, somehow she will work on that with MJ. After she has been threated by MJ's lawyers Johnson apologised but claimed that she won't stop reaching out to MJ.
Being frustrated Johnson started to collect MJ related domains and then selling them to MJJ. In June, 2003 MJJ decided to buy 850+ domain names from Johnson, in an agreement saying that she doesn't have any rights in the intellectual property.

Michael Jackson Estate vs. Melissa Johnson - John Branca Testimony

Updates in the above titled case:

- The MJ Estate has started to file it's witness testimony summaries today, starting with John Branca. Branca said that he has been hired by MJ first in 1979, and last time in early June, 2009. He says that Triumph International Inc. is fully owned by MJ and was always for the purpose of handling his trademarks since 1984. He insists that MJ's contract with AEG had the option to perform in other venues after the O2 concerts. He says MJ approved AEG to use his name and likenes in regards of the concerts. As well MJ personally approved Bravad in early June to manufacture the merchandises for him. He has been presented with 300 items, out of them 295 he approved. Due to MJ's untimely death the MJ Estate started to re-negoiate this deal as well they included other rights, and on August 21, 2009 the parties signed a new deal for the MJ related merchandises.
On August 7, 2009 Johnson's then attorney sent a message to the MJ Estate claiming that some of the MJ trademarks are owned by Johnson and not his estate. Branca saw this effort as an attempt to interfere with the estate's business issues.
Branca said that in the first 16 months period since MJ's death his estate paid off $9 million to Katherine and the kids. He says that the MJ Estate didn't decide on the distribution of the charity money yet. But when they will, they want to make it as big as MJ was. Branca claims that Johnson's attempts interferes with this effort. He talk about Johnson's shady past as she claimed to be told by an "angel" that her destiny is to work for MJ.

4/11/2011

Michael Jackson Estate vs. Melissa Johnson - Updates

Short update in the above titled case: according to the Judge's today decesion, there will be a non-jury trial as per the MJ Estate required it.

4/10/2011

The Official Online Team of the Michael Jackson Estate

The Michael Jackson Estate just registered a new trademark for it's online team under the "The Official Online Team of the Michael Jackson Estate" name.

According to the registration the team will provide informations to the fans and fan sites across the world.

The trademark registration is under Triumph International Inc.

The team has some high profile Los Angeles publicists on board.

Official sources:
http://twitter.com/mjonlineteam

Michael Jackson Estate vs. Melissa Johnson - Updates

Updates from the above titled case:

- The MJ Estate requested for a non-jury trial, that Johnson's lawyers wouldn't take. They say they prepaired for a jury trial, and this change might make their work harder. There is still no decesion in this matter.

- Trent Jackson declared the followings as the witness of Johnson: he worked for MJ for 7 years as the executive assistant of his mother, Katherine Jackson. His responsibilities includes being with Katherine 24/7, interacting with the staff around her and MJ's kids, overseeing the activities and environments they live in, etc.
He and Katherine first met with Johnson in July 2010, when they had a lunch talking about Heal The World Foundation and their volunteer work. Trent insist that MJ and Raymone Bain told him and Katherine that Johnson is taking care of the charity and will preserve it.
Trent is responsible for mentoring the MJ kids within the foundation, as well he was there with them this February on the HTWF charity event. He tells in the declaration that MJ's kids shortly after his death picked up some clothes and visited a homeless shelter in Los Angeles. As well later they got back to the same shelter again without the press.
Trent claims that since MJ's death John Branca didn't visit either Katherine or the kids.

- Raymone Bain declared the followings as the witness of Johnson: She has been contacted by Johnson in 2006 and in the coming years about concerns related to MJ. Bain asked MJ if Johnson is entitled to do anything in the name of the charity, and MJ confirmed that he granted Johnson's request to take over the charity in early 2005. According to Bain, MJ's intention with letting Johnson handling the charity issues was because he wanted to focus on his upcoming trial. But he strongly warned Johnson that he doesn't want again what happened in 2001 with his charity, and won't take responsibilities for anything. If this would happen then he will ask Johnson to close it down. MJ was furthermore concerned that his charity money will go to administration costs and to the ones needed.

- Katherine Jackson declared the followings as the witness of Johnson: She asked the MJ Estate to take part in selecting the charities that would benefit from the 20% of the estate incomes. However she said she has been excluded from this and any other decesion regarding the MJ Estate. She said that she and Joe Jackson joined to the charity to express their concern about the MJ Estate executors destroying it.
Katherine claimed that MJ told her on many occasions that he is afraid of Branca, because he stoled from him. She says the estate executors tried to intervene with what they are doing with the charity, including in the Oprah and the GMA interviews where segments has been cut off due to their demand.