> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Motown legend hopes to settle the score in SM
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/motown-legend-hopes-to-settle-the-score-in-sm/
- Published: 2004-07-07T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T04:42:19.000Z
- Author: John Wood
- Tags: Entertainment, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*Music mogul Berry Gordy is suing a former singer for ‘frivolous lawsuits.’*

SM COURTHOUSE — What began nearly four decades ago as a dispute over royalties between Motown legend Berry Gordy and a hired trio of singer/songwriters may be decided here this summer.

As founder of Motown Record Corp. and Jabete Music Publishing Corp., Gordy helped introduce to the world a generation of young talents, including the Commodores, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Rick James, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, the Supremes, the Temptations and Stevie Wonder.

Gordy, who lives on the Westside, in 1968 sued Eddie Holland of the trio “HDH” — which also included Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland — after the trio allegedly defied a contract with Motown and refused to write or perform, according to the suit. Eddie Holland, who was rumored to be in discussions with Capitol Records at the time, responded with a string of lawsuits, claiming the group was defrauded and paid less than their fair share.

Most of the issues raised in those suits have been tossed out of Michigan courts. But in the lengthy legal process, Gordy, now in his late 70s, racked up enormous bills and took a hit to his reputation, his suit contends.

> “We’re seeking to redress years of wrongful and groundless litigation against Mr. Gordy and the only real way the law gives us to do that is through a suit for malicious prosecution. Hopefully, the result in this case will set the record straight once and for all,” — added Petrocelli, the lead lawyer on the case

“Every single charge that Mr. Holland filed against Mr. Gordy was thrown out, without even a trial,” said Daniel Petrocelli, who works at the high-profile legal firm, O’Melveny & Myers. “Not one was won.

Richard Towne, Holland’s lawyer, declined to comment. In their lawsuits against Gordy, Holland has maintained that Gordy breached his agreement with HDH, that Holland’s signature was forged to defraud him and song rights were sold at prices widely varying from the agreed-upon rate.

Tens of millions of dollars may be at stake in the trial, which could begin as early as this August. Though the lawsuit does not specify an exact amount of money, Gordy is seeking reimbursement for legal fees, and punitive and exemplary damages. Lawyers were expected to meet before Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Valerie Baker today to discuss ongoing delays to the trial, which started without a jury last month.

At the heart of the current lawsuit are three suits levied by Holland against Gordy in 1968, 1988 and 1992, respectively. Gordy alleges the dispute was settled in a mutual settlement of the 1968 suit before it went to trial, but that Holland continued to press charges frivolously — even going so far as to intimidate employees of Motown and Jabete by filing personal lawsuits against them.

In order to win the malicious prosecution suit, Gordy must prove he won the previous lawsuits on their merits and not technicalities, that Holland had no probable cause to bring the suits and that the lawsuits were brought with malice. Already, Judge Baker has ruled Gordy won the cases on the merits. The other two issues were still to be decided, as well as how much money, if any, Gordy is owed.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 7, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/070704.pdf?ref=smdp.com)