JKR/RDR/SVA Trial To Begin This Week
JKR/RDR/SVA: really bad shipping idea?
Well…yes, but they are also the key players in the trial which will begin this week in New York City.
The showdown between Rowling and Steven Vander Ark is scheduled to last most of the week in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
Rowling is scheduled to testify Monday in a trial that is sure to generate huge interest among Harry Potter fans and the public. Her lawyer has arranged with the judge to have a private security guard for Rowling in the courtroom and for the author to spend breaks in the seclusion of a jury room — away from any die-hard Potter fans in attendance.
I think that’s us, they are referring to.
Well, we are some die-hard Potter fans, but unfortunately we won’t be in full stalking attendance mode. But we will keep you updated on any news that surfaces.
Tags: Harry Potter, Harry Potter Lexicon, JK Rowling, RDR Publishers, Steve Vander Ark, Trial
April 13th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Oh, can’t wait to hear more! I feel sorry for Jo, having to come over here and going to court. That can’t be fun.
April 13th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
It might not be fun, but the court is treating her like she’s the Queen. Private security guard & a private break room. Her lawyer’s also trying to make it so that SVA isn’t in the court room when she testifies. I don’t know it is in civil trials but in criminal trials you’re entitled to face your accuser.
Essentially, JKR is being treated by the court like royalty. I doubt any of us common people would be afforded the same privileges.
April 13th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
I think it’s great that She’s being treated like royalty. She deserves it!
April 13th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Rosie, that’s fine. But we’ll have to disagree. I think she should be treated just like anyone else in a courtroom. Equality before the law is supposed to be the core of the American legal system, even if it doesn’t always play out that way. It is at least the ideal.
Otherwise, what you’re postulating is that Rowling is better than other people because of some books she wrote.
April 13th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
I agree with you, revgeorge. And we have to remember that she is the one who brought this to court. Whether or not she has a valid case (and I still have no idea where I stand on this issue), and whether or not she was “forced” to take action, she still did take the action.
I don’t think anyone should ever get preferential treatment like that…then again I know how crazy us potter fans can be.
April 14th, 2008 at 6:52 am
How will this trial turn out? I really hope the Lexicon is allowed to be published. Even if Rowling prints out her own ‘Potter Encyclopedia’ or whatever, she will screw it up with little carttons and scrawlings like the Quidditch through the Ages book, and SVA will just give us all the facts which is what we want. Or at least what I want. Basically, if it was a print-out of the hp-lexicon site, I would buy it. If its by JK Rowling, I would buy it wishing that SVA had written it.
April 14th, 2008 at 8:38 am
Penny, revgeorge- Ok, you guys are right. And take note, I ‘m admitting that I’m wrong. Doesn’t happen often.
Sally- While I probably would buy SVA encyclopedia, it wouldn’t be the same. Jo has all the back story, and every thing. SVA only has what is in her books, there for, Jo’s would have a lot of detail that we don’t know yet. They would serve different purposes, however. Jo’s would be more of a fun read, and SVA’s would be more of a reference book.
April 14th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Rosie- as someone who hates to admit being wrong, I appreciate the gesture!!
April 14th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Well, I have to admit that I am wrong once every few years, or I get too full of myself.
April 14th, 2008 at 10:30 am
I think works by both SVA & JKR would be a plus to the fandom. Which is why I’m kind of disappointed that SVA didn’t do more with his print Lexicon. With some more work it could’ve been an excellent critical commentary on the HP series.
April 14th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I suspect that the court is treating JKR as they are not because the judge is some kind of Harry Potter fan boy but in order try and maintain control of the situation. I see all kinds of possible disruptions if people thought for a second she was somehow accessible. Really, do you think they changed, bent or wrote new laws to keep Vander Arc out when she is testifying? This trial is getting media attention so you can bet that it is being run properly and any procedural questions are being dealt with within the law. To say she is being treated in a way that is not legally proper is, IMHO, just silly.
As for all the rest of the stuff—fan fic and art and Steve Vander Arc, the whole thing comes down to this: just because JKR lets people play in her sandbox doesn’t mean it is not still HER sandbox. And it seems to me pretty low to come, play and then take the sand and sell it.
Bill
April 15th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I never said the judge was a fan boy. I simply said I thought that JKR was afforded treatment that most of the rest of us would never receive. I don’t think it inappropriate for her to have a private room to keep down the media circus, but she should certainly be required to pay for it herself & not acquire it at taxpayer expense. After all, she’s not the one on trial here; she’s bringing the suit.
And the judge has a responsibility to keep order in the court room. Where I think the problem would lie is if she got to face SVA in court during his testimony but he did not get to face her during her testimony.
Plus, I don’t think you’ll find I’ve ever said that SVA is 100% correct in his actions. In fact, I’ve said I think he could’ve very easily made this a more critical work & thus more clearly protected under current law. JKR is also entitled under current law to keep her sandbox & to maybe let other people play in it, without taking advantage of her. But she also shouldn’t be surprised if people stop playing in her sandbox because they’ve become unsure whether or not she or her lawyers will come after them.