Love’s Lawsuit Goes to Mediation

Lawyers for rocker Courtney Love and Universal Music met with a court-appointed mediator Monday ahead of the start of the trial for Love’s breach of contract countersuit against the music giant.

Lawyers for both sides were unavailable for comment late Monday, but sources confirmed that the court-ordered meeting was underway.

Barry Cappello, Love’s attorney, previously said he had little hope the two sides would settle their differences out of court.

On May 30, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ordered the mediation round and set June 11 as the trial date for Love’s suit against Geffen Records, a Universal Music label. Universal Music is a unit of Vivendi Universal.

In December 1999, Love decided to stop recording for Geffen. Last year, Geffen/Universal Music sued Love, seeking millions of dollars in damages for five undelivered albums. Love countersued last year.

While several of Love’s key claims have already been dismissed, the case is being watched closely as a growing number of artists challenge record companies over contract terms.

Love and Eagles frontman Don Henley are heading a group of stars who have been lobbying for new California legislation that would free artists from what they say is “indentured servitude” to record companies.

Last week, Michael Jackson became the latest pop star to join the artists’ rights crusade, accusing his record company, Sony Corp.’s Sony Music, of questionable accounting practices.