Opinion ID: 3037655
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Whether Release of Claims and Grant of Rights is

Text: Redundant Paramount construes the language of the Release to preclude all of Marder’s claims against Paramount while simultaneously granting Paramount the right to use Marder’s life story in Flashdance. Marder contends that this construction of the Release is untenable because if the agreement truly released Paramount from all claims by Marder, it would be redundant for Paramount to secure a specific grant of rights to use her life story. In support of her claim, she quotes the general proposition that a contract “must be interpreted as a whole, with each clause aiding the interpretation in the attempt to give purpose to every part, and the interpretation should, where possible, give effect to every part so that no clause is redundant.” Super 7 Motel Assocs. v. Wang, 20 Cal. Rptr. 2d 193, 197 (Ct. App. 1993). Thus, according to Marder, we should not construe the Release to permit such a redundancy. [9] Marder’s contention on this point also lacks merit. It is not impermissibly redundant to secure a waiver of claims and a grant of rights in the same document. As Paramount points out, it is generally recommended that a party seeking to acquire life story rights for use in a motion picture include both clauses in such an agreement. See Jay S. Kenoff, 1-5 Entm’t Indus. Contracts Form 5-1 ¶¶ 1-2 (Donald C. Farber 6 Even if her writing contributions were not covered by “arrangements,” the instant claim would be precluded by the release relating to “any matters,” discussed above. At oral argument, Marder conceded that her writing contributions occurred before she signed the Release, stating: “Her ownership is based on her having created the screenplay, which did occur prior to the execution of the Release.” Thus, her alleged writing contributions were certainly “matters occurring at any time prior to the date of [the] Release.” 6540 MARDER v. LOPEZ ed., Matthew Bender & Co., Inc. 2004). Furthermore, a release from claims and a grant of rights together are not redundant. A release extinguishes claims against the released party. See Skrbina, 53 Cal. Rptr. 2d at 489. By contrast, a grant is an agreement that creates a right. See Black’s Law Dictionary 707 (7th ed. 1999). Parties may include both provisions in a contract without undermining the effect of either the grant or the release. [10] Here, Paramount secured a release from claims relating to Marder’s involvement with the creation of Flashdance. By the same document, Marder granted Paramount the right to use her life story in connection with Flashdance. These two clauses do not negate each other and each may be considered without concern for impermissible redundancy.