Chris Brown won a round in court Monday when a judge put a temporary hold on proceedings in a lawsuit filed against the R&B singer by his former manager until a defense petition to compel arbitration of the case is heard later this month.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Allen White said it was proper to postpone all information gathering between both sides until she decides on Jan. 19 whether plaintiff Michael Guirguis’ case should be decided by a jury or an arbitrator.
Lawyers for Guirguis maintained in their court papers that many of his claims fall outside an arbitration provision that Brown wants to invoke, including those for assault, battery and defamation.
“I understand your position, I disagree with your position,” White said.
Brown’s attorneys state in their court papers that lawyers for Guirguis – – also known as Mike G — served a notice of deposition and requests for documents upon the singer and also asked for business records from third parties last month, despite knowing that the defense petition to compel arbitration was filed in October.
Mike G sued the 27-year-old singer last June 23 for allegedly beating him up on May 10, just days before Brown was to leave for a European tour.
Although Mike G thought he was having a routine talk with Brown about the tour, Brown instead took him into a room and punched him four times in the face and neck, the suit alleges. The plaintiff says he had to go to the hospital to be treated, and alleges that Brown showed no remorse and boasted to others about the attack.
Mike G also alleges that Brown defamed him and his company, Nitevision Management, with Instagram postings in which the entertainer claimed that he fired Nitevision because his ex-manager stole money from him.
—City News Service