Chappelle Case Summary

David Chappelle is an American comedian, actor and producer. He is best known for his hit TV series the Chappelle Show. In December 2005 Chappelle, his production company Pilot Boy Productions, Inc., and Focus Feature LLC (purchaser of the film Dave Chappelle’s Block Party) were sued by Chappelle’s former personal manager, Mustafa Abuelhija, for breach of two oral contracts. Abuelhija filed a complaint against Chappelle, his Pilot Boy Productions, Inc production company, and Focus Feature LLC, in the United States District Court specifically the Southern District of New York, demanding a jury trial. In the preliminary statements the Plantiff, Abuelhija, highlights the terms of both oral contracts in detail. It appears, should all the facts presented within the complaint be verified to be true, that there were two legally-enforceable oral contracts in place between the Plantiff and the Defendant (Chappelle, and his Pilot Boy Productions, Inc.), only one of the oral contracts involved Focus Features LLC. It also appears that one of the oral contracts had been breached and Abuelhija was concerned about an anticipatory breach of the second oral contract (LaMance, 2014). The
Additionally plaintiff would receive a monthly advance of $10,000 against his commissions. (“Ex-Manager to Chappelle,”