What Are the Issues in Winklevoss V Zuckerberg

[wellcallmeroo]

What claim was winklevoss making? From what I understand, one can't be sued over an idea. Also, why did zuckerberg settle if there's no grounds for winklevoss to sue in the first place?

[flyingron]

We don't do homework, but you're basic premise is definitely wrong. People sue over "ideas" all the time.

[wellcallmeroo]

as far as i can tell it was only a thought in the winklevoss bros minds.
zuckerberg didn't steal any code.
the idea was not patented.
and pretty much he took the idea and made it different and in many ways better than what they expected. it was only supposed to be between harvard students... but zuckerberg made it totally different.. how could they possible sue on anything regarding facebook?

[cbg]

And we're STILL not going to do your homework for you.

[wellcallmeroo]

And we're STILL not going to do your homework for you.

homework? i dont know if you literally mean homework.. because i am not a law student lol. i am studying biochemistry to go into the field of nutrition. i am just looking for more information and some quick answers that the movie did not tell us and how the winklevoss brothers even stood a chance in court.
if no one is willing to help me out i will gladly take my traffic to a different site

anyone able to help me out at all?

[flyingron]

I apologize, it sounded from the way you worded it that it was homework from some class (not limited to law school). You do understand that the respondents on this site are just other volunteers. We're not being paid and we don't have to take snaky self-entitled attitudes from those too lazy to use google.

The argument the Winklevi made was that they had an (oral) contract with Zuckerburg over the development of what was to become Facebook. We'll never know whether that claim would hold up in a court of law because rather the deal with a protracted legal battle, Zuck gave them some money and stock to go away. The twins accepted this and then decided they didn't get enough and that DID go to court where the judge told them, sorry you have agreed to a settlement and just because you think you didn't get a good enough one is not grounds to change that now.

[wellcallmeroo]

I apologize, it sounded from the way you worded it that it was homework from some class (not limited to law school). You do understand that the respondents on this site are just other volunteers. We're not being paid and we don't have to take snaky self-entitled attitudes from those too lazy to use google.

The argument the Winklevi made was that they had an (oral) contract with Zuckerburg over the development of what was to become Facebook. We'll never know whether that claim would hold up in a court of law because rather the deal with a protracted legal battle, Zuck gave them some money and stock to go away. The twins accepted this and then decided they didn't get enough and that DID go to court where the judge told them, sorry you have agreed to a settlement and just because you think you didn't get a good enough one is not grounds to change that now.

i used google quite a bit. i just didnt understand why zuckerberg even settled with them. just to get them off his back? is an oral contract the only thing the winklevoss bros only had to work with? i read that Judge Douglas P. Woodlock even said that "Dorm room chit-chat does not make a contract." it really seems like a bunch of nonsense to me.

[jk]

i just didnt understand why zuckerberg even settled with them. just to get them off his back?

You would have to ask him for an accurate answer but I suspect it was go away money.

the thing is: nobody but those intimately involved in the situation will ever really know what the facts are. What we have now is what each party claimed the facts to be.

[jk]

Also, why did zuckerberg settle if there's no grounds for winklevoss to sue in the first place?

I called Zuck and he said he cannot tell you.

[wellcallmeroo]

okay. thanks everyone for your answers. sorry if i seemed kinda arrogant. i really wasn't trying to be. but i will be posting in here frequently. law and politics is growing on me.. i may just switch my major sometime soon