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peters_sues_burnett [2019/02/22 01:36] – Carlos Pedrazapeters_sues_burnett [2019/06/23 13:27] (current) – [Advice: Deleted] adds tag Carlos Pedraza
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 {{:peters_burnett_bridge.jpg|peters_burnett_bridge.jpg}}<fs smaller>**SHOOTING ‘HEROES’** Axanar producer Alec Peters (left) on the bridge of the Enterprise with former Axanar director Robert Meyer Burnett during an October 2015 shoot of the Axanar short, "Heroes." </fs><wrap indent> <fs x-small>//Image/Axanar Productions//</fs></wrap> {{:peters_burnett_bridge.jpg|peters_burnett_bridge.jpg}}<fs smaller>**SHOOTING ‘HEROES’** Axanar producer Alec Peters (left) on the bridge of the Enterprise with former Axanar director Robert Meyer Burnett during an October 2015 shoot of the Axanar short, "Heroes." </fs><wrap indent> <fs x-small>//Image/Axanar Productions//</fs></wrap>
  
-<fs x-small>FEBRUARY 21, 2019<wrap indent> | </wrap><wrap indent> 5 MIN READ</wrap></fs>+<fs x-small>FEBRUARY 21, 2019<wrap indent> | </wrap><wrap indent> 5 MIN READ</wrap><wrap indent>|</wrap><wrap indent>UPDATED FEBRUARY 24, 2019</wrap></fs>
  
 ====== Peters Sues Former Axanar Director in Georgia Court ====== ====== Peters Sues Former Axanar Director in Georgia Court ======
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 **//Legal Questions Emerge Over Whether a Georgia Court Has Jurisdiction Over Robert Burnett// ** **//Legal Questions Emerge Over Whether a Georgia Court Has Jurisdiction Over Robert Burnett// **
  
- {{TOC}}{{page>byline}}+ {{TOC}} 
 +<WRAP> 
 +//**__ __**// <wrap lo>**By [[user>cpedraza|Carlos Pedraza]]**</wrap> \\ 
 +<fs smaller>//Additional reporting by Brian Hartsfield//</fs> 
 +</WRAP>
  
-Producer [[:alec_peters|Alec Peters]] filed suit this week in Georgia state court against his former colleague [[:robert_meyer_burnett|Robert Meyer Burnett]], who once was slated to direct //Axanar//.+LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — Producer [[:alec_peters|Alec Peters]] filed suit this week in Georgia state court against his former colleague [[:robert_meyer_burnett|Robert Meyer Burnett]], who once was slated to direct //Axanar//.
  
 ===== Legal Complaint ===== ===== Legal Complaint =====
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 {{page>subscribe}} {{page>subscribe}}
  
-An early draft of the complaint obtained by **AxaMontior** stated Peters was seeking about $45,500 in damages, plus interest and attorneys fees for Burnett’s alleged failure to: <WRAP center 90%>+In the legal complaint against Burnett, Peters made the following claims.
  
-  * Repay a series of loans Peters made to Burnett from October 2014 to March 2015, totaling $31,550. +  * **Bad loans**: Peters’ complaint includes no copy of his purported loan agreement covering the $31,550 in payments to Burnett. 
-  * Complete a series of four video featurettes about the making of //Axanar//.+  * **Bad production**: Burnett was paid $5,000 to produce four ‘making of’ videos about //Axanar//. The film was never made, however. 
 +  * **Bad equipment**: Peters alleges Burnett never returned $8,948 in equipment he was provided to produce the four videos. 
 +  * **Bad words**: Peters claims Burnett violating a non-disclosure agreement by releasing material developed for //Axanar, //including the film’s shooting script. 
 +  * **Bad document**: A copy of the NDA is included as exhibit A. Lawyers we’ve consulted raise doubts about the enforceability of that document, however.
  
-</WRAP> +<WRAP right round download 320px> <fs larger><wrap em>**Copy of the Legal Complaint**</wrap></fs> \\ <fs smaller>You can download a [[https://www.dropbox.com/s/455flfcg2xye8ve/peters%20v%20burnett%20filed.pdf?dl=0|copy here]] of the nine-page complaint (18 MB) filed by Alec Peters against Robert Meyer Burnett on February 18.</fs> </WRAP>
- +
-<WRAP right round important 320px> <fs larger><wrap em>**Copy of the Legal Complaint**</wrap></fs> \\ <fs smaller>Gwinnett County, Ga., does not make court documents available online. This article will be updated once **AxaMonitor**  obtains a copy of the legal complaint filed February 18.</fs> </WRAP>+
  
 +  * **Bad views**: Among the released material were several behind-the-scenes documentaries Burnett has publicly released.
 +  * **Bad-mouthing**: Peters states he was defamed by such Burnett statements as: "That’s what Alec Peters does. He makes deals with people and he reneges on those deals," and: "He [Peters] does not live up to the promises that he makes to people."
 +  * **Bad business**: To sue Burnett, a California resident, in Georgia, Peters claims the defendant has transacted business in Georgia. The complaint includes no documentation of such business.
 +  * **Bad information**: Axanar Productions Inc. is listed as a co-plaintiff. However, Axanar isn’t a Georgia company; it’s registered in California and hasn’t registered to do business in Georgia.
 +  * **Bad company**: The legal complaint cites Peters as Axanar Productions’ sole shareholder. However, Axanar became a California non-profit public benefit company in 2017; it can have no shareholders. Nor is he the only officer of the corporation; his former girlfriend, Diana Kingsbury, is also listed.
 +  * **Bad math**: Damages summed up in fifth count of the complaint total $45,534, while damages listed earlier in the document add up to only $45,498.
 ==== Burnett Responds ==== ==== Burnett Responds ====
  
-Burnett responded to news of the lawsuit on Twitter, though it didn't appear he had yet been served with legal papers:+Burnett responded to news of the lawsuit on Twitter, though it didn’t appear he had yet been served with legal papers:
  
-> Once again, even after two years since the CBS lawsuit settlement, Axanar's Alec Peters does everything he can to **not make** his two fifteen-minute films, spending money to sue me instead of doing the work he owes his donors. Hardly surprising. His last lawyer quit.(([[https://twitter.com/burnettrm/status/1098769095598563328?s=21|Robert Burnett Twitter]], 2/21/19.))+> Once again, even after two years since the CBS lawsuit settlement, Axanar’s Alec Peters does everything he can to **not make**  his two fifteen-minute films, spending money to sue me instead of doing the work he owes his donors. Hardly surprising. His last lawyer quit.(([[https://twitter.com/burnettrm/status/1098769095598563328?s=21|Robert Burnett Twitter]], 2/21/19.))
  
 ==== Jurisdiction ==== ==== Jurisdiction ====
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 +
 <WRAP> //**__« I’m going to end this in court and then let everyone know this lying thief screwed us all. »__  **//  <wrap indent>— //Alec Peters Attacks Robert Burnett on Facebook//</wrap> </WRAP> <WRAP> //**__« I’m going to end this in court and then let everyone know this lying thief screwed us all. »__  **//  <wrap indent>— //Alec Peters Attacks Robert Burnett on Facebook//</wrap> </WRAP>
  
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 One way or another, however, Burnett would have to contest the suit it in some forum, either making a special appearance in Georgia for the limited purpose of contesting jurisdiction, or allowing a default judgment and then contesting it on personal jurisdiction grounds should Peters try to enforce the judgment in California. One way or another, however, Burnett would have to contest the suit it in some forum, either making a special appearance in Georgia for the limited purpose of contesting jurisdiction, or allowing a default judgment and then contesting it on personal jurisdiction grounds should Peters try to enforce the judgment in California.
  
-{{:burnett_quote.jpg?350 |}}+{{:burnett_quote.jpg?350  |burnett_quote.jpg}} 
 ---- ----
-<WRAP> //**__« Those who can't do … SUE! »__  **//  <wrap indent>— //Robert Burnett responds to Peters' lawsuit [[https://twitter.com/BurnettRM/status/1098769508448165888|on Twitter]].//</wrap> </WRAP>+ 
 +<WRAP> //**__« Those who can’t do … SUE! »__  **//  <wrap indent>— //Robert Burnett responds to Peters’ lawsuit [[https://twitter.com/BurnettRM/status/1098769508448165888|on Twitter]].//</wrap> </WRAP>
  
 The latter course of action does carry some risk, however. If a California court should rule against Burnett on the jurisdiction issue, he wouldn’t be able to fight the case on the merits, since the case would already have been judged in Georgia. The latter course of action does carry some risk, however. If a California court should rule against Burnett on the jurisdiction issue, he wouldn’t be able to fight the case on the merits, since the case would already have been judged in Georgia.
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 By the next day, as he has regularly done on Facebook with comments he doesn’t like, Peters deleted Bawden’s advice. {{:axamonitor-ico.gif?nolink&}} By the next day, as he has regularly done on Facebook with comments he doesn’t like, Peters deleted Bawden’s advice. {{:axamonitor-ico.gif?nolink&}}
  
-<WRAP tip 75%> <wrap em>COMMENTS</wrap>  Discuss this article in [[face>groups/axamonitor/|AxaMonitor's Facebook group]]. </WRAP>+<WRAP tip 75%> <wrap em>COMMENTS</wrap> Discuss this article in [[face>groups/axamonitor/|AxaMonitor's Facebook group]]. </WRAP>
  
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 **Keywords** **Keywords**
  
-{{tag>Axanar Mike_Bawden lawsuit Alec_Peters Robert_Meyer_Burnett}}+{{tag>Peters_v._Burnett Axanar Mike_Bawden lawsuit Alec_Peters Robert_Meyer_Burnett}}