Jury Awards $4 Million in A&E Dispute

CHARLESTON, November 13:
Richard C. Davis, a real-estate investor who was featured in the A&E series
Flip This House, has been
awarded $4 million by a South Carolina jury for his role in creating the show.

Davis maintained that he
and his company, Trademark Properties, had a 50/50 revenue-sharing agreement with
the network. A&E denied ever making such a deal, while Davis alleged that
it was purely an oral contract. The jury returned with the $4 million verdict
after five hours of deliberation. "We are deeply disappointed in the
jury's decision, and we will follow the appropriate steps to have the verdict
reversed," Michael Feeney, A&E's spokesman, told the L.A. Times.

Davis, who filed his suit
against A&E two years ago, refers to himself as creator, writer,
co-producer and star of Flip This House; although, he and his team haven't appeared on the series since its
first season.

"I feel personally
vindicated by the jury's verdict finding that I have always had an agreement
with A&E," Davis said. "This victory is much bigger than me. This
verdict makes it clear that if a network uses and profits from someone's
concept for a television show, they need to pay for it. I am thankful that we
were able to win one for the little guy."

—By Mansha Daswani