Courtney Love will not be made to undergo a psychiatric examination at the insistence of former Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Grohl and Novoselic, who along with Love are partners in the business entity Nirvana LLC, filed a motion in the King County Superior Court in Seattle on April 11, asking that Love’s mental state be subject to an evaluation, as pursuant to a clause in the contract they each signed upon forming the company. The provision stated that any partner could request another’s mental heath be evaluated for competency provided there’s proof that the partner’s sanity was “in controversy,” which Judge Robert H. Alsdorf stated in his decision was not the case here.
“[Grohl and Novoselic] have cited no mental incapacity,” the written ruling read. “[They] have cited a business disagreement as to which reasonable minds could differ. In the absence of a good faith suggestion from [Grohl and Novoselic] of an identifiable mental problem or condition reasonably expected to last at least six months, this court cannot ignore or discount the likelihood that requiring a mental examination in response to a marketing dispute would serve no purpose other than to contribute a circus-like atmosphere to the trial. Defendants’ Motion is, therefore, DENIED.”
The ruling came earlier than expected. When the case went before the bench last Friday, Judge Alsdorf said he needed more time to render a decision, and postponed his verdict for seven to 10 days (see “Dave Grohl To Courtney Love: Check Your Head”).
Nirvana LLC was established in 1997 to handle Nirvana-related issues such as the release of recordings (i.e. the long-awaited Nirvana box set and previously unreleased songs). In May, Love attempted to dissolve the partnership, claiming she was “significantly impaired” at the time the company was founded.
Love’s petition was contested by Grohl and Novoselic, who filed a counterclaim in December (see “Who Speaks For Nirvana? Grohl, Novoselic Lash Out At Courtney Love”).
The next court battle is scheduled for late September.
