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| The Lawsuit |
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| As any faithful Harry Potter fan knows there was once talk of a lawsuit, here I have information I have found off a site which I am sorry to say I have lost the URL for. I added it to my site for those who may not know the whole story and are curious about this whole lawsuit business. Harry Potter Plagiarized? March 17, 2000 They're Harry Potter's most daunting foe yet: lawyers. Author J.K. Rowling has ruled the best seller lists since the publication of Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone (British title: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) in 1998. With Stone and two subsequent Potter potboilers still selling like hotcakes -- there are presently almost 20 million Harry Potter books in print -- and a high-profile Potter pic in development at Warner Bros., it is perhaps unsurprising that someone is suing to get a piece of the Potter pie. That someone is American author Nancy K. Stouffer. The Associated Press reports that Stouffer filed a U.S. District Court lawsuit March 6, alleging that plots, characters, and terms from Rowling's books were lifted from her own 1984 publication The of Rah and Muggles. Stouffer is casting her net wide -- her suit reportedly names Rowling, Potter publisher Scholastic, Time Warner Entertainment (would-be maker of Potter blockbusters), and toy giants Hasbro and Mattel (would-be makers of Potter action figures). The plaintiff apparently attempted to resolve her differences with the Potter powers without inviting public scrutiny last fall, when she appealed for an out-of-court settlement. Rowling, Scholastic, and Time Warner responded with a preemptive legal strike, nailing Stouffer with a lawsuit of their own last Nov. 6. "I think coincidences happen," Stouffer says," but I still say if it looks like a duck and acts like a duck, then it's a duck." Scholastic spokeswoman Judy Corman dismisses Stouffer's claims as being "completely meritless" and adds,"Unfortunately success often leads to frivolous claims, and we're confident the court will find in our favor." Stouffer's litany of similarities begins with "muggles." In Rowling's Potter books, "muggle" is the word used by wizards to mean ordinary humans. Stouffer's muggles are Lilliputian little people who care for two orphaned boys. More to the point, Stouffer says she owns a trademark on the word "muggle." Additionally, The Legend of Rah and Muggles features characters named Larry Potter and Lilly Potter, and Stouffer also writes about characters called "Keepers of the Gardens." In addition to the obvious Larry/Harry link, Rowling also has a Lily (mind you, that's with just one "l") Potter, and her books include a "Keeper of the Keys" character. Following its intial printing, The Legend of Rah and Muggles reportedly was marketed mostly on the East Coast in Giant supermarkets and Rite-Aid drugstores. Stouffer says Rowling could have come across it while completing a work-study exchange in Baltimore in 1987 and 1988. Rowling's yet-to-be-released fourth Potter tome is already a best-seller, thanks to the massive pre-ordering. In all, Rowling has said she plans to pen seven Potter tomes, wrapping up the series when Harry turns 17. Whatever becomes of Stouffer's lawsuit, it seems likely Warner Bros. will move ahead with its Potter movie plans. Variety says the list of potential Potter directors has been narrowed down to four contenders: Brad Siberling (City of Angels), Chris Columbus, Terry Gilliam, and Alan Parker. The enormous field previously included Rob Reiner, Jonathan Demme, Mike Newell, Tim Robbins, Wolfgang Petersen, Robert Zemeckis, and American Beauty's Sam Mendes. Steven Spielberg, of course was, was the studio's first choice, and was even briefly reported to have made a firm commitment to helm the first Potter picture -- before, naturally, he elected to take on the late Stanley Kubrick's A.I. Warner Bros. is expected to announce a final decision soon. Back to Main Page |