"I’m in law school Kelsey.”
December 22, 2019 6:57 AM   Subscribe

In 2017, Kelsey Devois was contacted by Marc Goldener of Golden Bell Studios. He was interested in her recipe-themed card game that was currently on Kickstarter. They were enthusiastic about publishing the game and getting it to as wide an audience as possible. Devois was thrilled and signed up with them, but that was before the company had developed a notorious reputation in the crowdfunding and board game community.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI (15 comments total) 12 users marked this as a favorite
 
That's a delightful story. Too bad the episode hasn't aired yet! I want to see it on principle even if the case itself weren't relevant to my interests.
posted by asperity at 7:08 AM on December 22, 2019 [2 favorites]


Christ, what an asshole.
posted by suelac at 7:31 AM on December 22, 2019 [4 favorites]


But that's the thing: People's Court is a real court, and their decision is binding. Devois even got her game back, at which point Goldener tried to make another deal with her.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:50 AM on December 22, 2019 [1 favorite]


I will rescind at least 10% of the terrible things I've thought about the legal "profession" if this POS' abusive conduct results in him being denied admission to the bar.

As an attorney, I will also be profoundly shocked.
posted by Not A Thing at 11:08 AM on December 22, 2019 [5 favorites]


From the article I can't figure out what his business model is. Pay small sums of money for rights to a game, do nothing with it, then threaten to sue? Where's his revenue stream?
posted by PennD at 11:10 AM on December 22, 2019 [3 favorites]


Oh wow, was that a satisfying read. I am so happy she got her money and the rights to her game back.

Goldner sounds sociopathic! I’m with PennD: I can’t understand what his goal is in any of this, unless it’s to torment people.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:17 AM on December 22, 2019


I now want to send chocolates & sympathy cards to all producers of The People's Court. Working in reality TV must involve constant exposure to narcissistic jerks anyway, but this particular show also selects for lawsuit-happy ones. I cannot imagine how flooded their inboxes must be with people who aren't happy with the outcome of a particular show.
posted by selfmedicating at 11:21 AM on December 22, 2019 [1 favorite]


It's easy to have a revenue stream when you are doing Kickstarters.

Deliver stuff years after the game funds, deliver shoddy components and the like. Charge backers again for shipping, etc.

Profit!!!
posted by Windopaene at 11:22 AM on December 22, 2019


She didn't get her rights back after all:
Goldner’s legal threats to the show were successful in one aspect. Because the initial suit was only for $500, Devois was informed the show would be retracting the ruling granting her trademark rights back and could only rule on the initial claim. But she was told that any other court would recognize that Goldner “sealed his fate” when he terminated the contract.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 11:30 AM on December 22, 2019 [6 favorites]


It reads to me like he didn't spend any money here...
The company sent a contract asking Devois to give up half her copyright and full trademark rights to the game, in exchange for Golden Bell financing the game’s manufacture. Devois would receive a share of net profits.
He got rights to the game, saying that he would manufacture it and share the profits, then did nothing with it. It it had taken off with her kickstarter offering, he would own the game. Or if someone else had made a similar game, he could sue. It's just rights squatting, it cost him nothing.
posted by team lowkey at 11:33 AM on December 22, 2019 [5 favorites]


I hope she does get the rights back, because I'm kind of interested in playing this game with my SO, who is not into table top gaming but is a baker, so they might enjoy this one.
posted by KingEdRa at 11:55 AM on December 22, 2019


I think what the People's Court lawyer was getting at is that they couldn't rule on the rights question (since that wasn't part of the lawsuit; it was just for the $500). BUT, since the guy terminated the contract in order to avoid paying the $500, he also gave up his rights to the game. If he tries to assert his rights in any other court, they're going to say the same thing. So she has her rights back anyway.
posted by team lowkey at 12:18 PM on December 22, 2019 [8 favorites]


Inventors’ Caveat Emptor 101 – before making any deal with anyone, check out the resources at the official United States Patent And Trademark Office including Scam Prevention; Protect Yourself Against Invention Promotion Scams (pdf); Patent Pro Bono Program for independent inventors and small businesses.

Better to spend the time and money necessary for standard legal patents and trademarks, than to give them away to a scam artist (after you pay their ‘expenses’).
posted by cenoxo at 12:32 PM on December 22, 2019 [3 favorites]


If you want to get another party involved for $500 I can tell you on principal alone I’d pay thousands to not give you a dollar

Goldner literally doesn't know how to spell the word principle.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 6:40 PM on December 22, 2019 [3 favorites]


But that's the thing: People's Court is a real court

It is not a real court. It’s a forum for binding arbitration of a dispute. The rules of evidence don’t apply, ruling cannot be appealed, etc unlike a real court.
posted by jmauro at 1:43 AM on December 23, 2019 [4 favorites]


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