A Trivial (Pursuit) Lawsuit
The plaintiff who claimed that he invented the Trivial Pursuit game and was ripped off by the defendants has been ordered to pay most of the defendants' expensive legal costs in the case.
The defendants in the case, Christopher Haney, Charles Scott Abbott, John Haney and Edward Martin Werner and the corporation Horn Abbott Ltd., were awarded $1.25 million in legal costs associated with the case, minus 20 percent, to be paid by the plaintiff, David Wall. This is said to be the largest award of legal costs in Nova Scotia history.
Wall filed a lawsuit in 1994, claiming that he was the one who came up with the idea for the popular board game, Trivial Pursuit. He says that while he was hitchhiking way back in 1979, defendant John Haney picked him up and offered him a ride. While they chatted during the drive, Wall says that he explained to Haney that he had an idea for a board game that would be based on trivia questions.
Although Wall says that Haney stole the idea from him, Haney and Charles Scott Abbott claim that they invented the game in December 1979. Haney says that he never gave Wall a ride, and wasn't even in the area at the time that Wall claims to have met him and discussed plans for the game. Haney says that he never met Wall, and that the conversation that Wall described never happened.
The judge in the case found that Wall failed to prove that he was in fact the inventor of the game. Since Wall couldn't prove his claims, the judge awarded the defendants a staggering $1.25 million in legal fees; however, that amount was reduced by 20 percent because the judge disapproved of lawsuits that the defendants filed against two potential witnesses in the case while the lawsuit was being litigated.
Wall has previously worked as a well digger and is currently unemployed with no income. He lives a modest life and does not have cash or assets worth anywhere near the $1 million that he now owes. His lawyer says that he is obviously disappointed with the outcome, but still glad that he had a chance to put his case forward and have it heard.
Wall filed an affidavit with the court during the lawsuit saying that regardless of the outcome, he would work to pay off any costs that might be awarded against him.
The lawyer for the defendants in the case say that the large award is still millions less than it cost them to defend themselves in this case and that they will collect from Wall using any means necessary, including garnishing his wages when he becomes employed.
Wall not only lost any claims to be the inventor of Trivial Pursuit, but by proceeding with costly litigation without solid proof to back up his claims, he has now cost himself over $1 million. Since he does not have the money to pay the judgment against him, losing the lawsuit will also cost him most of his future earnings as well, pretty much ensuring a life of poverty.
