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Urantia Foundation public announcement regarding
impending trial with Michael Foundation

October 4, 2000

MICHAEL FOUNDATION, INC. V. Urantia FOUNDATION
CASE SET FOR TRIAL IN APRIL 2001

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma has issued a

Scheduling Order in the Michael Foundation, Inc. v. Urantia Foundation

lawsuit. The Court has set the case for jury trial in April, 2001. The

parties are permitted until March 1, 2001, to conduct discovery, a pretrial

fact-finding process that includes requests for production of documents,

written interrogatories, requests for admissions of facts, and depositions

of witnesses. The parties must provide one another with a final list of

witnesses and exhibits by February 1, 2001. Any Motions for Summary Judgment

must be filed by March 1, 2001.

 

Michael Foundation has already served Urantia Foundation with requests for

production of documents, and Urantia Foundation is compiling its response.

Likewise, Urantia Foundation has served Michael Foundation and Harry

McMullan III with requests for production of documents and requests for

admissions of facts.

In order to conclude discovery within the time frame allotted by the Court,

Urantia Foundation has also begun scheduling depositions of some of the

witnesses whom Michael Foundation indicates it may rely upon at trial

according to its preliminary witness list. Each party may depose ten

witnesses during the discovery period which concludes March 1, 2001.

 

A deposition is an out-of-court statement under oath where the attorneys for

both sides are present with the witness and are permitted to ask questions.

The entire process is recorded by a court reporter. Depositions

are typically conducted in a conference room at a court reporter's office

near the residence of the witness. A subpoena is served on the witness to

advise them of the date, time and place where their deposition will be

held and may specify that they bring with them documents in their possession

related to the case. A deposition or document subpoena is not a lawsuit.

It is simply a tool for parties to obtain discovery lawfully from nonparties

during the discovery period in a case.

This case arises from the unlicensed publication by Harry McMullan III's

Michael Foundation of most of Part IV of The Urantia Book under the title

Jesus -- A New Revelation. Michael Foundation filed suit requesting

the Court to declare the copyright in The Urantia Book invalid or,

alternatively, to rule that their publication does not infringe the

copyright. Urantia Foundation is requesting the Court to enter judgment in

favor of Urantia Foundation against Harry McMullan III and Michael

Foundation for willful violations of copyright law; the anti-cybersquatting

consumer protection act (for registering Internet domain names that violate

Urantia Foundation's trademark rights); and the unfair and deceptive trade

practices act. Urantia Foundation is requesting an injunction barring Mr.

McMullan and Michael Foundation from further violation of the copyright

and trademarks as well as monetary damages prescribed by law, punitive

damages, and the attorneys' fees and costs incurred in connection with this

case. 

As the case progresses, we will issue periodic updates. In the meantime,

questions may be directed to the head office in Chicago at +1 773 525 3319.

Mindy Williams

Urantia Foundation

533 W. Diversey Parkway

Chicago, IL 60614