WWE star and social media influencer Logan Paul has “dismissed without prejudice” his lawsuit against Heritage Auctions, according to documents from a Texas district court.
Paul had sought a court order and a temporary restraining order due to concerns about the authenticity of a piece signed by Michael Jordan from the United Center court, which he had won at an auction.
This decision comes after the expiration of the initially granted and extended temporary restraining order.
Paul initially won the signed piece of the court at auction for $562,555.42, the payment for which was due on September 25. According to court records and Paul’s lawyer, he wanted to investigate the authenticity of the court before paying, but was not allowed to do so.
Heritage Auctions promoted the court as “the ultimate Michael Jordan display piece,” an 8-by-8-foot section of the “Original Court Used in the 1994-1998 United Center Game.” Jordan signed the court and listed his five NBA MVP awards, six NBA Finals MVP awards, 10 scoring titles, and the year he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (2009).
The court order alleged that the condition of the court did not match that of 1995-1998, as the court was replaced or, as Heritage claims, repainted and refinished. The order also notes that the certification, performed by the grader and authenticator PSA, indicates that the Chicago Bulls logo appears different from that of the photographs from the 2001-05 seasons.
No response was obtained to multiple attempts to contact Paul’s representatives. Court documents do not reveal a definitive reason why the litigation was abandoned. A representative of Heritage Auctions declined to comment on the situation, but when asked what will happen to the United Center court, he replied that “that information is confidential and subject to contract”.
