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Groomzilla

Women get the vast majority of flak for being wedding-obsessed, but they’re hardly alone in that area. One groomzilla is taking it even beyond classic reality-TV level, suing his wedding photographer over unsatisfactory photos and video of the blessed event. Although it has taken him some time to get around to it.

But what is striking, said the studio that took the pictures, is that Mr. Remis’s wedding took place in 2003 and he waited six years to sue. And not only has Mr. Remis demanded to be repaid the $4,100 cost of the photography, he also wants $48,000 to recreate the entire wedding and fly the principals to New York so the celebration can be re-shot by another photographer.

By God, he will have those photos to commemorate that happy day, no matter what it takes. Hell, it was probably the happiest moment of his entire marriage. Which is now over.

Re-enacting the wedding may pose a particular challenge, the studio pointed out, because the couple divorced and the bride is believed to have moved back to her native Latvia.

Believed. Because he doesn’t actually know where she lives or how to get in touch with her. I personally can’t think of any photo I’d rather have on my wall than a picture of the woman who, following our divorce, fled the country and has since avoided all contact.

The judge dismissed most of the lawsuit, including “infliction of emotional distress” (aww…), but she let the “breach of contract” part proceed. My hope is that this is so that she has something to laugh about with her family over Thanksgiving and that Remis will run up ridiculous legal fees before losing the lawsuit. Regardless, if this dude doesn’t get his own Very Special Episode of Bridezillas, someone at WE is not paying attention. Get on that, WE.


18 thoughts on Groomzilla

  1. “My hope is that this is so that she has something to laugh about with her family over Thanksgiving and that Remis will run up ridiculous legal fees before losing the lawsuit.”

    Which is all well and good, but the photographer also has to run up ridiculous legal fees to defend against this nonsense.

  2. benvolio:
    Eww.Doesheimaginethatreshootingtheweddingdaywillforcetheerstwhilebridebackhome?Eww.

    Yeah, that would have to be part of it, right? Which is so completely insane and creepy I can’t even wrap my head around it. This guy is seriously messed up. Also, greedy. But mostly messed up.

  3. Katya:

    Which is all well and good,but the photographer also has to run up ridiculous legal fees to defend against this nonsense.

    Yes. And given that he’s apparently 87 years old and retired, I have a feeling that there are other things he’d rather be doing.

  4. I am pretty sure this whole lawsuit is just a bid to get his ex back in the States and under his thumb, if only for a day.

  5. The judge dismissed most of the lawsuit, including “infliction of emotional distress” (aww…), but she let the “breach of contract” part proceed. My hope is that this is so that she has something to laugh about with her family over Thanksgiving

    Would that she could. Would that she could. As long as a litigant knows to make certain perfunctory allegations, it is virtually impossible to dismiss these breach of contract claims. Remember the Pearson v. Chung case in DC. Since Remis’s father is a partner at the firm representing him, he probably knows a thing or two about how to game the system. This will likely drag out to trial, unless it is settled.

    Mr. Remis, who said at his deposition that he has not been employed since 2008

    Mr. Remis’s lawyer works for Goodwin Procter, where Mr. Remis’s father, Shepard M. Remis, is a litigation partner. The younger Mr. Remis has testified that he is paying his lawyer himself.

    Sure you’re are, Mr. Remis.

  6. Remis will run up ridiculous legal fees before losing the lawsuit.

    The photographer’s already run up $50,000 in fees. I do hope the judge assesses costs and attorneys fees to Remis for bringing a frivolous suit, but I suspect not.

    Gosh, wonder why the wife left the country.

  7. Remis will run up ridiculous legal fees before losing the lawsuit

    Remis’s father is a partner at the firm that represents him. Remis claims that he is paying his own legal fees, despite the fact that he has been unemployed since 2008. I’m sure he’s not paying through the nose. At the very least, I’m sure he’s getting a big discount, if daddy’s not paying for it.

    I do hope the judge assesses costs and attorneys fees to Remis for bringing a frivolous suit, but I suspect not.

    We can only hope. Maybe there is a prevailing party provision for attorneys’ fees in the photography contract.

  8. Goodwin Proctor FTW

    He does have a claim for money damages for the last 15 minutes being missed, though 6 years is pushing it, but apparently w/in the statue of limitations…but really talk your client out of being an idiot (e.g. threaten to quit) with the whole wedding recreation thing.

  9. IIRC (there are legal beagles here who can confirm or deny), in breach-of-contract suits involving employment, you cannot sue for specific performance: for example, if I pay a plumber to fix my toilet and s/he never shows up, I can sue to get my money back and maybe even sue for whatever additional damage was caused by the plumber not showing up on time, but the court will not force that particular plumber to come and do that particular job.

    So Remis could conceivably get enough money to hire a photographer to reshoot a wedding, but he can’t force that particular photographer to show up, let alone force his wife to show up.

  10. IIRC (there are legal beagles here who can confirm or deny), in breach-of-contract suits involving employment, you cannot sue for specific performance: for example, if I pay a plumber to fix my toilet and s/he never shows up, I can sue to get my money back and maybe even sue for whatever additional damage was caused by the plumber not showing up on time, but the court will not force that particular plumber to come and do that particular job.

    So Remis could conceivably get enough money to hire a photographer to reshoot a wedding, but he can’t force that particular photographer to show up, let alone force his ex-wife to show up.

  11. Henry: He does have a claim for money damages for the last 15 minutes being missed, though 6 years is pushing it, but apparently w/in the statue of limitations

    Whoa. OK, putting this thread together with another one…the statute of limitations on breaching a contract is longer than that on beating the shit out of your disabled daughter? What is wrong with this country?

    Seth Gordon: he can’t force that particular photographer to show up, let alone force his ex-wife to show up.

    Especially if the ex-wife isn’t in the country–what does he think, Interpol is going to round her up so he can take his wedding photo?

  12. EG: Whoa. OK, putting this thread together with another one…the statute of limitations on breaching a contract is longer than that on beating the shit out of your disabled daughter? What is wrong with this country?

    Money is more important than pain, silly.

  13. Megalodon: Remis’s father is a partner at the firm that represents him. Remis claims that he is paying his own legal fees, despite the fact that he has been unemployed since 2008. I’m sure he’s not paying through the nose. At the very least, I’m sure he’s getting a big discount, if daddy’s not paying for it.

    My MRA-loving ex pulled this crap on me. His BFF was a lawyer, so my ex did some grunt work for him (mowing is lawn, washing his car) so he could keep a lawyer on retainer harassing me when he wanted it. This went on until I called the lawyer myself and pointed out that this was unethical, that it was also harassment, and that I was ready to call the state bar. After that, the lawyer and the ex weren’t so friendly anymore.

    When dealing with an MRA psychopath, knowledge is empowerment.

  14. This guy is clearly weird. He gets a divorce, isn’t satisfied with the pictures, and wants to make a lawsuit out of it? This makes no sense at all. And they call women, “Bridezilla’s!” This article brings up the idea that not only women are needy. Most people would not be concerned with the wedding pictures after the divorce, but he is. This shows that women are not always the weaker ones in the relationship. Obviously he is missing his ex-wife and wants a way to get in contact with her. This indicates that in today’s society, it is not uncommon to see a couple with the woman in control.

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