Litigious Pursuit....

[Che Guava]

Nothing trivial about board game lawsuit

Last updated May 16 2006 10:06 AM ADT
CBC News


David Wall launched his lawsuit 12 years ago. The case has been bogged down by appeals and other matters, but the trial is set to begin next week.

Wall says he divulged the details of his game idea to a driver who picked him up while he was hitchhiking in Cape Breton in 1979.

A couple of years later, Christopher Haney, a photo editor at The Gazette, a Montreal daily newspaper, and his partners launched Trivial Pursuit, a game where players move around a board by correctly answering trivia questions.

"It's a matter of rightness," said Kevin MacDonald, Wall's lawyer. "At that time, Mr. Haney agreed that he wouldn't use Mr. Wall's idea, and he subsequently used it. And that's what the case is about."

The game has become an international phenomenon — it is sold in 33 countries — and turned Haney and his partners into millionaires.

Wall is suing for the rightful title of inventor, plus a piece of the lucrative pie. MacDonald is expected to call up to 35 witnesses to support his client's claim.

"There's a lot of significant documentation, a significant number of witnesses that have been discovered, although ultimately the issue is fairly easy: Who do you believe, Mr. Wall or Mr. Haney?" MacDonald said.

Lawyers representing Trivial Pursuit say Haney dreamed up the idea independent of Wall. In fact, they say, Haney never picked up Wall as a hitchhiker.

MacDonald has filed for an appeal of a previous decision. If the appeal goes ahead, it could delay the trial date by up to three years.

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Y'know, now that I think of it, I invented Monopoly back in '22 on a fishing trip...

 

[.Shane.]

I'm not sure how that guy can possibly prove it.

 

[Cuivienen]

When I saw the title, I thought a law had been passed to make such things illegal. "Litigious pursuit" actually sounds like a legal term.

Oh well. A girl can dream.

 

[Che Guava]

What, you mean you want to be able to use the law to stop guys from pursuing you?

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

I'm not sure how that guy can possibly prove it.

Agreed.

What, you mean you want to be able to use the law to stop guys from pursuing you?

Or illegal not to?

 

[bhsup]

This is why we have patent and copyright laws. You don't go blabbing about your ideas to some schmuck who picks you up and gives you a ride, you copyright or patent them!

In short, sucks to be David Wall.

 

[El_Machinae]

I'm not sure how that guy can possibly prove it.

Basically, they're going to put the driver on the stand, and ask him under oath.

If he says he didn't hear the idea from the hitchhiker, he keeps his fortune.

Can you imagine what he'd say?

As a sidenote: if you have a creative concept that you want copyrighted, there are many steps you can take. One really excellent suggestion is to send yourself a copy of your work via registered mail - and don't open the evelope, ever, unless you need to submit the sealed evelope as evidence in a court case.

As well, telling people that you've copyrighted a creative work, publically (like I have with my screen name), is an excellent way of keeping creative ownership.

 

[Ayatollah So]

As well, telling people that you've copyrighted a creative work, publically (like I have with my screen name), is an excellent way of keeping creative ownership.

You have? Explain?

 

[El_Machinae]

The screen name El_Machinae was invented by me, and I have copyrighted it. It's mine. Using it is copyright theft.

See? That was pretty easy.

By comparison, during my proofreading days, the authors could have used me as a witness if any of his ideas had been stolen before a novel was published.

 

[Truronian]

My screen name is copyrighted, just not by me...

 

[Che Guava]

My screen name is copyrighted, just not by me...

..and then you stole 'Mr Eko' off of Lost. For shame!

off topic: I cant wait to see the latest installment of that show tonight....

 

[Truronian]

off topic: I cant wait to see the latest installment of that show tonight....

I'm in the UK, so I'll have to wait 'til the weekend to download it (which is legal for TV shows)

 

[Masquerouge]

This is why we have patent and copyright laws. You don't go blabbing about your ideas to some schmuck who picks you up and gives you a ride, you copyright or patent them!

In short, sucks to be David Wall.

I kind of agree. Even pretending that he came up with the idea in the first place (and who did not, at some point in his life, come up with an idea about a trivia game?), well tough luck. If you thought your idea was so great, then why did you sit on your behind not doing anything?

 

[bhsup]

Also, why did he wait until 1994 to begin his lawsuit? Trivial Pursuit was hugely popular before I graduated high school in the mid 80s.

Rape victims waiting years to come forward I can understand due to trauma and so forth, but this guy waiting far more than a decade to come forth and say his idea was stolen? Hah. Money grabber, plain and simple.

 

[Cuivienen]

What, you mean you want to be able to use the law to stop guys from pursuing you?

No, as in suing someone for absurd reasons would then be illegal as well as expensive. ("You are charged with litigious pursuit.")