Brian Damage
01-05-2008, 10:14 AM
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A judge on Friday referred to mediation a lawsuit by a veteran writer who claims he pitched the idea for the hit ''Hannah Montana'' show and has never been compensated.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Reginald Dunn set an Aug. 26 court date in case the sides cannot resolve the case with the mediator.
In a lawsuit filed last summer, Buddy Sheffield said he pitched a television series called ''Rock and Roland'' to the Disney Channel in 2001.
''The series revolved around a junior high school student who appears to lead an entirely unremarkable life, but is secretly a pop/rock star and the main breadwinner for his family,'' Sheffield said in the suit.
Disney Channel officials were at first enthusiastic about the project but later decided to pass, the lawsuit claimed.
Sheffield said in the suit they took the characters he created and developed ''Hannah Montana,'' which he called a ''blatant copy.''
The Disney Channel is owned by ABC Cable Networks, whom Sheffield named in the suit. A lawyer for ABC Cable Networks said Friday he couldn't comment. In court filings, the company has denied wrongdoing.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Reginald Dunn set an Aug. 26 court date in case the sides cannot resolve the case with the mediator.
In a lawsuit filed last summer, Buddy Sheffield said he pitched a television series called ''Rock and Roland'' to the Disney Channel in 2001.
''The series revolved around a junior high school student who appears to lead an entirely unremarkable life, but is secretly a pop/rock star and the main breadwinner for his family,'' Sheffield said in the suit.
Disney Channel officials were at first enthusiastic about the project but later decided to pass, the lawsuit claimed.
Sheffield said in the suit they took the characters he created and developed ''Hannah Montana,'' which he called a ''blatant copy.''
The Disney Channel is owned by ABC Cable Networks, whom Sheffield named in the suit. A lawyer for ABC Cable Networks said Friday he couldn't comment. In court filings, the company has denied wrongdoing.