Singer Marie Osmond has settled her lawsuit against The Globe over the tabloid's suggestion that her adopted son, Michael, was actually her husband's illegitimate son.
The Globe agreed to pay Osmond an undisclosed amount of money and run a correction making it clear that the couple's son, Michael, was not fathered by Osmond's husband, Brian Blosil.The correction will read:
"In July of 1991, The Globe published an article about entertainer Marie Osmond, her husband Brian Blosil, and their adopted son, Michael. In the article, The Globe reported a rumor that Michael may be the illegitimate son of Brian. Upon further investigation, The Globe has learned that the rumor was false. The Globe regrets any harm the article or the implications of the article may have caused Marie Osmond and the Blosils."
However, The Globe added in a press release that it does not admit any liability.
"I think everyone is satisfied with the results," said Miles Holman, attorney for Osmond and Blosil.
Osmond and The Globe resolved the suit after a daylong meeting Monday. Osmond, Blosil, a representative of The Globe and attorneys for both sides met all day Monday with mediator Scott Daniels to resolve the matter.
Attorneys for both sides told U.S. District Judge Bruce Jenkins earlier this fall that the two sides would try mediation before going to trial.
The attorneys submitted the names of several mediators to Jenkins. Each side agreed to the selection of Daniels and Jenkins formally appointed Daniels to the case last month.
"It helps to have a neutral third party, who is respected as Mr. Daniels is, to give a reality check for the clients," said Randy Dryer, attorney for The Globe.
"Resolving these matters in one day is pretty standard for mediation," Daniels said. "Mediation saved both sides two weeks of trial and probably $200,000 in attorneys' fees. It also probably saved the government $50,000 in court time and the salaries of the judge, clerks, secretaries and others involved in a trial.
"This was clearly the right case for mediation."
More and more people involved in lawsuits here are turning to mediation to solve their problems, Daniels said.
Osmond and Blosil sued The Globe last year after the tabloid ran a 1991 article saying the couple's adopted son, Michael, was rumored to be Blosil's son.
The story said that Blosil and Osmond showed up at Jimmy Osmond's wedding reception with the infant and announced his adoption to family and friends.