Federal Judge Audrey Collins
More than a dozen sign company lawsuits against the city of Los Angeles have been stayed by U.S. District Judge Audrey Collins pending a decision by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on her ruling that the city’s 2002 ban on off-site advertising signs is unconstitutional.
Posted under Billboards, L.A. City Government, Skytag, Supergraphics, World Wide Rush
This post was written by dennis on January 18, 2010
Good: L.A. Superior Court Judge Terry Green isn’t an expert on toxic substances, but he performed an expert analysis on the city’s noxious 2006 lawsuit settlement that allowed Clear Channel and CBS Outdoor to put up 840 digital billboards by declaring the agreement that denied the public any voice “poison” and sending it to the shredder.
Posted under Billboards, CBS Outdoor, City Planning Commission, Clear Channel, Digital Billboards, Freeway Billboards, L.A. City Government, Lamar Advertising, Michael McNeilly, Supergraphics, Van Wagner, World Wide Rush
This post was written by dennis on December 21, 2009
Paul Fisher, a Newport Beach attorney who represented such companies as Metrolights (now Fuel Outdoor) and World Wide Rush in precedent-setting lawsuits against the city has been suspended by the California State Bar after being convicted of several felonies, including rape by use of drugs and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor under 16 years of age.
According to Orange County Superior Court records, Fisher was charged with the crimes in February of last year, and pled guilty on Oct. 15 of this year. He was sentenced on that date to 11 years and 4 months in state prison.
Posted under Billboards, Fuel Outdoor, Supergraphics, World Wide Rush
This post was written by dennis on December 17, 2009
Fuel Outdoor (Metrolights) Billboards in Venice
The legal battle over the hundreds of movie poster-style billboards put up in L.A. without permits the past five years apparently reached an end today, when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to review an appellate court decision that the city’s off-site sign ban can be used to prohibit the company’s signs. Read More…
Posted under Billboards, Fuel Outdoor, L.A. City Government, Supergraphics, World Wide Rush
This post was written by dennis on December 14, 2009
Do exceptions to the city’s nine-year old ban on off-site and supergraphic signs allow it to unconstitutionally discriminate against certain outdoor advertisers? Last year, a U.S. District Court judge said yes, but on Wednesday a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals seemed to question that interpretation.
Posted under Billboards, L.A. City Government, Supergraphics, World Wide Rush
This post was written by dennis on December 11, 2009
World Wide Rush Supergraphic Sign on National Blvd.
An appeal of a federal district judge’s decision throwing out L.A.’s off-site sign ban will be heard tomorrow, Dec. 10, before a three judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. In an August, 2008 decision in World Wide Rush v. City of Los Angeles, Judge Audrey Collins found the ban unconstitutional because it allowed exceptions for sign districts, specific plans, and approved development agreements. The lawsuit was brought by an obscure Pennsylvania company that had been cited for putting up numerous supergraphic signs on buildings in violation of the city’s 2002 ban on new off-site signs. Following the decision by Judge Collins, a number of other companies sued the city on the same grounds, and obtained injunctions barring enforcement at more than fifty locations.
Earlier this year, the city adopted a new off-site sign ban that eliminates the exceptions pending the outcome of the World Wide Rush appeal.
Posted under Billboards, L.A. City Government, Supergraphics, World Wide Rush
This post was written by dennis on December 9, 2009
From Marketing Brochure by Vanguard Outdoor
Pamela Anderson (no, not THAT Pamela Anderson) is a self-proclaimed expert in sign law, as well as the owner of a company called Vanguard Outdoor, whose sole business appears to be getting multi-story supergraphic ads installed on several Los Angeles buildings. The site above, on the 10 freeway at Robertson Blvd., is one of four her company is actively promoting as sites for the installation of supergraphic ads. See Vanguard Outdoor Powerpoint.
Posted under Billboards, Freeway Billboards, L.A. City Government, Supergraphics, Uncategorized, World Wide Rush
This post was written by dennis on September 30, 2009
Clockwise from upper left, progression of supergraphic signs over past year
The building above at 3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd., was one of the first staked out by World Wide Rush, the Pennsylvania company that challenged the constitutionality of L.A.’s ban on off-site and supergraphic signs and convinced a Federal Court judge last year to enjoin the city from enforcing those laws against the company’s signs. The building that overlooks the 405 freeway is home to the West L.A. office of the city’s Housing Department, so in addition to revenue from the supergraphics, the building owner is getting rental income from the city.
Posted under L.A. City Government, Supergraphics, Uncategorized, World Wide Rush
This post was written by dennis on September 18, 2009
