DISCLAIMER - I am not a legal professional and as such I could be horribly misinterpreting the meanings and allegations in these documents.

New developments in the NERO Lawsuit today. NERO International has filed its response to Michael Ventrella's complaint. In short, NERO International claims that Mr. Ventrella's claim of copyright on the NERO Ruleset/Rulebooks is invalid and also appears to deny the legitimacy or applicability of the agreement between Ford Ivey (as head of Legends Unlimited) and Ventrella. NERO International is requesting that Ventrella's copyrights be overturned and an unspecified sum be paid as recompense for what amounts harrasment of the organization by Ventrella.

For those unfamilar with the original charges, Ventrella is alleging that NERO International's publication and sale of the NERO International Rulebook infringes on his copyrights of the same. Further, he claims that a 1996 contract with Ford Ivey and Legends Unlimited grants him an "irrevocable license to use the name NERO, and the rules and trademark associated with it."

Ventrella claims that NERO International's continued publishing of NERO Rule Books along with the licensing of chapters to use said Rule Book constitutes willful infringement of Ventrella's copyright. The suit further claims that NERO International has intentionally misrepresented its own publications and events as being associated with Ventrella's organization with the purpose of "misleading and confusing" the participants in Ventrella's events. Ventrella is seeking to stop NERO International from publishing materials infringing on his copyright as well as the destruction of existing materials which are in violation. He also seeks damages of NERO International's profits originating from infringing materials or statutory damages to be determined later.

We will continue to cover the events of this lawsuit as they unfold, and will be working to providing more in-depth analysis on events as they occur.