In one of our first posts here we expressed the view that the anti-merger Sheen v. SAG lawsuit filed in February had run out of gas in light of the District Court’s denial of a preliminary injunction and the successful completion of the SAG-AFTRA merger.

Shortly after that, rumors began flying that the Sheen v. SAG plaintiffs had voted to throw in the towel and drop the now-defunct lawsuit. Those rumors have not yet become a reality, however.

Today was the agreed (postponed) date for the Screen Actors Guild to file its answer to the complaint. It did so, even though the Screen Actors Guild no longer technically exists (or is in the process of being wound up). For arcane procedural reasons, it is still named as a defendant, despite efforts to substitute its successor, SAG-AFTRA. It seems strangely appropriate, perhaps, for a ghost of a lawsuit to be pursuing a ghost of an organization.

Our view remains firm that “there is no there there” in this lawsuit. The merger has been completed. The District Court is not going to unwind it. The court has also expressed grave doubt whether plaintiffs have a case, even if by the sterile rules of pleading they have alleged enough to keep the case technically alive. If it’s alive, it’s on life support. And that life support will be shut off unless the plaintiffs are willing to keep paying thousands of dollars to their lawyers in order to keep going.

Last one out please remember to turn off the lights.