As you already know by now I am currently being sued by the Las Palmas Restaurant Company who own Benihana and Subway in Kuwait. They’re suing me over my review which you can read [Here] in case you missed it. Today was the second hearing and this is just an update of what happened.
During the first hearing Benihana submitted documents to back up their claim and my lawyer had requested time to review the printouts and the judge gave us one month. The documents submitted by Benihana were basically print outs of my Benihana review, my Benihana media round up post and a print out of my Facebook page.. actually not my page but what you see when you search for my name.
Today my lawyer presented documents to prove that when I had posted my review I didn’t have any ill intent towards Benihana or Las Palmas Restaurant Company and that my post was based on my experience which happened to be a negative one. The documents my lawyer submitted were print outs of previous posts in which I had spoken positive things about Benihana as well as posts in which I had spoken positive things about two other brands owned by Las Palmas which are Subway and Charley’s Grilled Subs. Their lawyers then requested from the judge time to review the documents but the judge refused and instead set a third court date for April 26th in which a decision will be made on this case.
I’m crossing my fingers…
64 replies on “Benihana Lawsuit Update: The Second Hearing”
Excellent news man. What a judge ๐
Its common sense. They presented a case, and you threw it back into their face, and the judge saw that very clearly.
Yalla, inshallah khair.
man … we wish you all the luck in the world … its really nonsense when you are being sued for giving an opinion or criticizing a restaurant
this law suit will be a social suicide for Benihana rest.
but please dont worry mate i am sure you will win this and after make another law suite against them for making such publicity and make them ya36oonek ta3weeth 3an el athrar elnafsya elly a9abetek lol
๐
wooooooooow cant wait to see the end of this story =O
update us man
hahahaaaa… the judge is a fan of your blog and it seems that he reads also many restaurant reviews on other blogs before heading to a restaurant. I wonder who is the “lawyer” who accepted representing these clowns in court.
They probably have a resident lawyer.
From the sound of it, it looks like the judge is going to throw the case out.
If he had any intention of ruling against you, he would’ve gave Benihanna time to prepare justifications and reasons that would aid him in his rule against you.
Good luck. A legal trial process is scary, even if you win in the end. Again, good luck inshalla.
read my mind … agree 100%
God be with you. ๐
Your Winning Will a Revolution. And Freedom and Rights For Kuwait Bloggers.
Best of Luck Mark
Should you win the case, are you also able to collect attorney fees from them? Or is that not allowed?
it’s not that simple and it would be a long process from what i understood
Good luck, wish you all the best.
best wishes and good luck
you have our prayers
hope for the best plan for the worst
April 26th? Surprised a resolution will come so quickly. Stuff like this usually takes forever in Kuwait.
Good Luck Mark
Truth always prevails……….You are already a winner!!!!
Good luck Mark. I have a feeling that this will be in your favor.
Good luck Mark. You do such a great job with the website. I’m sure common sense will prevail.
wooootsss….
me too……..fingers crossed!!
good luck. and the positive things you wrote previously about the other 2 brands they own, and the pluses you mentioned in the benihana review will definitely help show you had no bad intention.
keep it up and this will be out of your way in no time.
Good luck Mark! We’ll be thinking of you!
Good luck, I am pretty sure this will work out well for you.
Good Luck and all the best.
Insha’Allah it will be good news for you and for us aswell!
Dude wish you the best of luck ! You will get inshallah ๐ if they don’t take critisim and try to fix it they will never be successful.
Were all crossing OUR fingers for the good news !
Good Luck Mark!!
Guys thanks for your support but you’re jumping the gun a little. It’s a case in court so the decision could go either way and it might not be in my favor.
As a person who watched a lot of legal movies and serials, I think you showed no ill-intent and just expressed your opinion, therefore I think it will go you way. Case closed.
Good luck Mark, this is not just about 248am, this is about the whole blogging community fighting for the freedom of our opinions.
Good luck Mark! inshAllah this will turn out in your favor!
Good Luck and keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Man Mark i truly wish you the best of luck
I have to wonder how benihaha is doing right now?
I know quite a few who refuse to go to it including me.
Is it empty even in weekends?
Once this is all done and dusted I can see a book and Hollywood film deal coming out of this Mark. Perhaps Tom Hanks or Denzel Washington will play the part of “Mark, the man who took on the system”.
Hope all goes well, good luck Mark ๐
Good Luck! Hopefully all will go well, you have nothing but professional throughout all of this, This will pay off and as you said it is obvious you never intended any harm.
Wishes are always with you.. so no worries
What Benihana did was unacceptable. They ruined their image by the stunt they pulled. We are all rallying for you… Good luck
Why cross your fingers?
Spread them so you can poke each and everyone’s eyes!
Good luck, break their leg and kick their nuts!
The ruling is obvious to your side. unless the court and the company prove, intent from your side to distort their image and they provide sufficient evidence it did exploit their business and effected their operations then they cannot rule against u.
Now by law, all what the court has is a guy that said something and another guy didnโt like it and claiming damage, which financially he cannot prove. So unless he proved damage, the print law in Kuwait is clear and allows u to share your opinion and protected by almost every news organization & MPโs in Kuwait. So unless they set a new precedent and want to change a constitutional right, by pass the parliament then there is no base for the whole case.
The guyโs lawyers similar to his GM are just being driven by the commanding owner they have which wants to defy the world to pursuit some arrogance issue he has. I say in my opinion, after ur done with the case to raise a court case against them for the amount of emotional and physical damage they caused u! ๏
I’ll keep this short.
Im with you in anyway helpful or possible.
GOD BLESS.
good luck!
ahahah…i was waitin for this post very badly
hehe the judge seems to be on your side..
ooo everyone loves you Mark ๐
Wish you all the best and hopefully when this is all over you would have set a precedent so that all the future Las Palmas’ of the Middle East can take a hint. Break a leg (wonder if one could be sued for saying that.. hmmm)
Its 2:48pm and all i want to say is All the best, and dont forget to recover your lawyer charge’s and extra charges for spoiling your time….
You know that the only blogging community are with you in this. Let us know if we can do anything to help ๐
Babble
This case is a shame for Benihana’s management.
At the beginning of this story I didn’t beleive they have intention to go to the court, because all my friends told me when I’ve asked them about Benihana’s food: “don’t go there, we didn’t like” and now I am sure, what Benihana is doing, it is new kind of business, why not ? : we give you bad food – you don’t like ? – told somebody or post about it? – pay us.
But Mark he even wrote that it was not bad. Where is the problem ? Not allowed to express an opinion ? or all the opinions should be only positive ?
Mark, I wish you good luck and all the best!
Your blog is Number One.
I wish you all the best Mark. Fighting a lawsuit can be a long and frustrating affair and the main thing is not to give up easily.
First of all, good luck mark!
Second of all, pass big thanks to the lawyer who is helping you. He is truly your fan ๐
Question Mark – Can you sue them for serving you undercooked chicken? Undercooked chicken can be a great threat to one’s health and can a company be used by a consumer for that in Kuwait?
Good luck Boss
We r following & support you ๐
Good luck Mark and I hope you get out of this mess!!
Good luck, Mark.
Good luck dude were never going to that place ;(
inshallah the court decision will be on ur side.
We all with you man
Please keep me updated. I have a similar case with Gulfnet, and my lawyer is not doing any good so far, i might need a better one
ุงููู ููููู ูุง ู ุงุฑู
don’t worry you have our support all the way!
GOOD LUCK!
Two words..Denny Crane! ๐
Good luck ^_^
I have a feeling that you will win.
Wish you the best! ๐
The “my Benihana media round up post” printouts they submit are worthless in your case, because it was “a result” & not “a cause”; caused by Benihana & not you!
Actually, Benihana trying to gain free publicity & marketing upon your shoulder. That is the main intention for the lawsuit!
Waiting for the final decision! I hope you have good news for us today! ๐
Question Mark โ Can you sue them for serving you undercooked chicken? Undercooked chicken can be a great threat to oneโs health and can a company be used by a consumer for that in Kuwait?