Risk Update

Judicial Conflicts Allegations and Admissions — ‘Black Widow’ Judicial Recusal, Alito Again In

Why Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow Lawsuit May Be Losing Its Judge” —

  • “Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against Walt Disney Studios has already been a heated topic with both sides going back and forth at each other in the press. It makes one wonder just will happen when this all actually gets in front of a judge. However, that may now take a bit longer than anticipated, as the judge on the case has now offered to recuse himself from the case due to a potential conflict of interest.”
  • “According to Spectrum News, the judge is now offering to step aside because, prior to being appointed as a judge, he was a partner at the law firm of O’Melveny & Meyers LLP, which is a firm that currently represents The Walt Disney Company. The judge still receives a pension from that position.”
  • “If both parties want to keep Judge Draper, they can file a joint agreement by September 10, otherwise the recusal will take effect and the case will be reassigned. It’s unclear at this point what either party thinks of the recusal.”

Alito Recusal Lifted, Will Participate in Case Involving Boeing” —

  • “Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito will now participate in an arbitration case involving Boeing Co., a company in which he or his family members once owned stock.”
  • “The one sentence notation didn’t explain why Alito, who had previously sat out proceedings in the case, was now able to participate. The court also didn’t immediately return a request for comment.”
  • “But Alito in 2019 sold shares in Oracle Corp. to allow him to hear a multibillion-dollar copyright dispute with Alphabet Inc.’s Google. And his 2019 financial disclosures, the latest available for the justice, show he or family members owned as much as $50,000 in Boeing stock, which is a party in the arbitration case.”