Jerry Seinfeld successfully defended a lawsuit alleging he stole "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" from former collaborator and business associate Christian Charles.
Judge Alison Nathan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled Monday that Charles' claim came too late. Per Reuters, Charles waited six years after Seinfeld rejected his copyright claim in 2012—double the length of the statute of limitations his claim.
Charles claims the idea for "Comedians" came from an idea he pitched called "Two Stupid Guys in a Stupid Car Driving to a Stupid Town." Charles ultimately shot the "Comedians" pilot, and his relationship with Seinfeld deteriorated when the latter declined to give him the credit (and compensation) he wanted.
Seinfeld's lawyer called the ruling a "complete vindication." Charles' defense team said he was disappointed, and called Seinfeld's behavior "egregious" and "shabby."
Automotive legal tie-ups have plagued Seinfeld in recent years. In February, he was sued by a collector in the Channel Islands for allegedly selling their company a fake Porsche 356 Speedster. Seinfeld, who is a Porsche enthusiast, claimed to have no clue it was a forgery when he purchased it. Seinfeld immediately apologized and promised to "make it right."
To that end, Seinfeld contacted European Collectibles, from whom he purchased the 356 in 2013 for $1.2 million, and demanded that they address the issue with the new owner. The dealer refused, at which point Seinfeld filed a suit of his own against European Collectibles, saying he'd let the courts "determine the just outcome."