Fine Art Registry® Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PARK WEST GALLERY'S CASE AGAINST FINE ART REGISTRY® DISMISSED IN
FEDERAL COURT IN FLORIDA (CASE NO. 08-21711-CIV-UNGARO)
(Phoenix, AZ, Southfield, MI, Miami, FL — 12 February 2009) Park West's defamation case against Fine Art Registry was dismissed by US District Judge Ursula Ungaro on 10 February 2009, "for failure to prosecute in the name of the real party in interest," thus ending Park West Gallery's boasts of a "multi-state legal suit against Fine Art Registry" so frequently repeated in its press releases, paid internet ads, and to dissatisfied customers calling in to request refunds for artwork purchased.
Clearly, Judge Ungaro saw through Park West's thinly veiled attempt to file the same suit in two different states under a different name in an attempt to harass Fine Art Registry and thus prevent further exposure of Park West Gallery's questionable business practices, and FAR® advocacy to victims of these practices. Fine Art Registry has published many case studies, articles and videos, reporting Park West Gallery's sale of inauthentic, overpriced and misrepresented art aboard cruise ships and at its land-based "art auctions".
The judge's decision to dismiss the case came after the plaintiff's (PWG Florida Inc.) attempt to explain why they felt they had the right to file suit. The case was dismissed soon after Park West's much advertised hiring of ex-U.S. Attorney and ex-FBI art team legal advisor, Robert E. Goldman, to represent them in their cases against Fine Art Registry, including this Florida case where he had entered an appearance and taken deposition.
Park West Gallery's duplicate case against Fine Art Registry, filed in Michigan, is still undecided as to jurisdiction, while Park West Galleries has now been sued in Michigan by a large group of dissatisfied customers, for fraud and conspiracy among other allegations. The beleaguered Southfield, Michigan gallery has reportedly withdrawn all of its Salvador Dali prints from all cruise ship art auctions following the release by Fine Art Registry of a documentary in which internationally renowned Dali experts examine a set of one hundred Dali prints sold by Park West to two of the plaintiffs in the Michigan case for close to $500,000, and determined that the signatures on the prints are forgeries.
Lawrence C. Atorthy, senior associate at Kaufman, Payton & Chapa, the Michigan law firm representing Fine Art Registry against Park West, said, "We are pleased that the federal court in Florida saw through the smoke and mirrors thrown up by Park West. Park West's SLAPP lawsuits are designed merely to stifle legitimate scrutiny of its business practices. This Court recognized that PWG Florida, Inc. had no legitimate claim against Fine Art Registry, and the Court acted appropriately. We believe that Park West's lawsuit in Michigan will suffer the same fate."
Theresa Franks, CEO of Fine Art Registry who had been personally named as a defendant in the Florida case was not at all surprised by Judge Ungaro's decision. "It was clear to me from the start that the Florida case filed by Park West was simply part of their ongoing strategy to attempt to silence anyone who tried to expose their practices, by legal bullying. Park West Gallery has a history of using frivolous litigation to accomplish their ends. We will continue to publish the facts as we know them and we expect the Michigan cases to expose Park West Gallery's true character and practices in the near future."
ABOUT FINE ART REGISTRY:
Fine Art Registry® is today's only high tech solution to the age old problems that have existed in the art world since before the Ancient Greeks: How to establish provenance, prove authenticity and ownership, prevent forgery and fakery, deter theft and, basically, make it possible to create, buy and sell works of art with the security of knowing that they are what they claim to be. Full information on FAR® and how the system of tagging and registering art is available at www.FineArtRegistry.com.
ABOUT KAUFMAN, PAYTON & CHAPA:
Founded in 1975, Kaufman, Payton & Chapa, now has offices in Farmington Hills, Detroit and Grand Rapids and represents clients throughout the state of Michigan. Known for the aggressiveness and tenacity of it attorneys and its results-oriented approach to cases, the firm represents clients in trial and appellate matters large and small. For more information visit www.kaufmanlaw.com or contact Jonathan H. Schwartz – (248) 626 5000 JHSchwartz@kaufmanlaw.com.
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