Appeals Court Sides with NBC Universal in Ghost Hunters Theft Case

Back in 2006, paraphyschologist Larry Montz and his publicist filed a lawsuit against SyFy alleging that the idea for the show Ghost Hunters was theirs, due to the fact that between 1993 - 2003 they had (or claimed to) present exclusive materials to NBC featuring "a team of 'paranormal investigators.' As allegedly envisioned by Montz, each hour-long episode would follow the team's members to a different real-world location, where they would use magnetometers, infrared cameras, and other devices to investigate (and occasionally debunk) reports of paranormal activity." Shortly after this, Sci-Fi partnered with Pilgrim Films to produce Ghost Hunters. In 2007 the court ruled in favor of NBC Universal (who owns of SyFy) and recently Montz appealed the decision. Once again, in 2010, the appeals court sided with NBC

In November 2006, plaintiffs Larry Montz, a parapsychologist, and Daena Smoller, a publicist, filed a complaint in federal district court. They claimed that in 1981, Montz conceived of the concept for a new reality television program featuring a team of "paranormal investigators." As allegedly envisioned by Montz, each hour-long episode would follow the team's members to a different real-world location, where they would use magnetometers, infrared cameras, and other devies to investigate (and occasionally debunk) reports of paranormal activity.

The complaint alleges that between 1996 and 2003, the plaintiffs presented screenplays, videos, and other materials relating to their proposed show to representatives of NBC Universal, Inc., and the Sci-Fi Channel (now the Syfy Channel), "for the express purpose of offering to partner . . . in the production, broadcast and distribution of the Concept." The representatives were allegedly not interested in the concept for the show. According to the complaint, however, NBC Universal subsequently partnered with Craig Piligian and Pilgrim Films & Television, Inc., to produce a series on the Sci-Fi Channel based on the plaintiffs' materials. The show, called Ghost Hunters, stars Jason Hawes as the leader of a team of investigators who travel across the country to study paranormal activity.