Legal Fixation

Minors in the Middle

Hollywood Reporter Esq. provides a look at the Coogan Act, the California statute designed to protect the assets of child entertainers, in the context of a simmering dispute surrounding a management contract. The Coogan Act does not apply to agency or management contracts, hence there is some question as to a minor's right to disaffirm such a contract, particularly where that contract was not approved by a court, but was entered into by the child's parent or guardian. This is at the heart of Traylor v. Berg, which pits a child actor from the sitcom "Malcolm In The Middle" against his former manager, to whom he has been ordered to pay nearly $530k in fees. The upcoming decision by the California Court of Appeals is expected to shed light on the subject.

posted by Matthew Saunders @ 5:37 PM