Walter Becker estate looking to dismiss Steely Dan lawsuit

Executors for late Steely Dan star Walter Becker’s estate are seeking to dismiss a lawsuit filed by his bandmate Donald Fagen over the pair’s Steely Dan Inc.
Fagen filed the suit following Becker’s death in September (17), citing an agreement from 1972, when Steely Dan was incorporated. It suggests Steely Dan purchases all shares if an original member of the group quits or dies. Fagen is also suing bosses at the group’s business management firm, Nigro, Karlin, Segal, Feldstein & Bolno, claiming they have been withholding records.
He is seeking upwards of $1 million (£720,400) in damages and asking lawmakers for a declaratory judgment that he is the sole owner of the Steely Dan name. Becker’s widow is also reportedly demanding 50 per cent ownership of Steely Dan.
Estate officials have previously released a statement, insisting the original agreement is null and void and now they are asking for Fagen’s lawsuit to be thrown out. In the motion filed last month (Jan18), they also argued the original agreement stated it would be automatically terminated “upon the occurrence of any event as a result of which all of the outstanding stock of the Corporation will be owned by a single stockholder.”
Fagen’s lawyers have now responded, arguing Becker’s family had “already received its fair share of Steely Dan’s revenues based on Becker’s contributions to the band while he was alive”, adding they should not continue to profit from earnings Fagen generates while touring as Steely Dan.