I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you….

As for me personally, I side with JKR not because she is rich and influential but because I think she has a right to control what she creates. Because she is rich people should be able to just take her work and do with it as they want? I think it is fine to think SVA is in the right but whichever side you support I reckon you should try and be nice about it. And realistic, like I said the other day, it just isn’t reasonable to think the courts are treating JKR in any way that is outside the law ore in any way not in line with judicial proceedings and process. If they were, SVR’s lawyers would be hollering foul and they would be headed for a legal do over.

I can finally breath a sigh of relief after viewing this unbiased website. Go Greg and Penny!

I had so much hope and admiration for some Harry Potter websites and thought that they would stand up for what they feel is right and not side with JKR because she’s rich and has alot of influence now. How about standing up for the person who has nothing.

Of what I heard of him on Pottercast, Steve seems like a great guy and someone that did put alot of effort into the lexicon.

If you want to see all the documents from the case go to Justia.com (http://news.justia.com/cases/featured/new-york/nysdce/1:2007cv09667/315790/) It is all there to wade through.

One interesting one is an email exchange were Steve Vander Ark admits that to publish essentially what he wants to publish would be illegal (http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/new-york/nysdce/1:2007cv09667/315790/29/1.html)

The actual job emails is there somewhere I am sure but I didn’t have to the time to look in detail. It was quoted on the Leaky Cauldron on Jan 16 (http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2008/1/16/wb-and-jkr-file-full-request-for-injunction-of-harry-potter-lexicon-part-1) To quote them quoting the documents that quote Steve Vander Ark —which should cover me! ;0):

“The text of the e-mail string between Steve Vander Ark and the Christopher Little Agency requesting employment on the official encyclopedia is included in the document. The first few emails request a meeting during Vander Ark’s July appearance at Sectus, which were declined. Emma requested questions be sent through via e-mail, and Vander Ark sent the following response:
“Hello, Emma:
“Basically, the question is a personal one. I would like to be moving to London soon, but one of the things holding me back is that I don’t have a job there. I have registered with TeachLondon and have been pursuing a few other possibilities, but I’m a school reference librarian and TeachLondon and other such services are primarily looking for classroom teachers. I am a US citizen and need to have a job lined up in order to get a work permit.
“I have no idea what Rowling is planning now that the novels are finished, but if she is thinking of working on an encyclopedia or other references to the series, I would be a good candidate for work as an editor, given my work on the Lexicon. I had hoped to meet with you simply to give you a note to pass along to Rowling making the enquiry.
“I said that I have other people to talk to. Actually,that’s one person: Fiddy. I have her email address and can send a note her way. I thought it would be best, however, to send this through Christopher Little since you’re her literary agents and would be directly involved with a project like this.
“Please give me your honest opinion on this. I am 49 years old and have proved myself to be a lot more than just some teenaged fan with a website. If you think this idea has some potential, let me know how you think I should proceed. If you think I’m wasting my time, I would appreciate your being honest with me on that as well.
Thanks for taking the time to consider this.
Steve”
The response, from Ms. Schlesinger:
“Dear Steve:
“Thanks for this.
“Whilst we appreciate your very clear continued interest in Harry Potter, should Jo decide to work on an encyclopedia or other Harry Potter companion book, she will definitely not be looking to collaborate with anyone, so we regret that we can’t offer you an anchor to move over here. For the record, we have confirmed this with Fiddy, so no need for you to write directly. Thank you however for sending via us.
“All the best for your future plans.
“Best wishes
“Emma.”
Steve’s response:
“I really appreciate the quick reply. I wasn’t really thinking of collaborating, just working somewhere in the organization, but I do understand what you mean. I wouldn’t have contacted Fiddy about this once you had said it wouldn’t work, but thanks for mentioning it to her. You never know what might come up.”

The WSJ Law blog has the most informative coverage of the trial that I have found so far (the Associated Press should be ashamed).

Anyway, if the comments/scenarios/anecdotes outlined there are in fact correct, then I think I side with JKR in this case. I’d like to get more information, but if it is indeed true that SVA pressed JKR for a job, and when none was extended, rushed his version of the lexicon to print, consisting of mostly lifted quotes, then I think SVA is wrong here. It’s difficult to say for sure without seeing the book version of the lexicon, and knowing more about the background of the interactions between JKR and SVA.

But that’s from a moral standpoint, and may be completely immaterial if, regardless of the history, this is simply a question of copyright.