RUE MCCLANAHAN - COURT DISMISSES MCCLANAHAN LAWSUIT

A court has dismissed a $3.75 million (GBP2.08 million) judgement against actress RUE MCCLANAHAN, because the complaint was improperly served. On Monday (12JUN06), the 2nd District Court Of Appeal unanimously ruled in favour of THE GOLDEN GIRLS star, who had been sued for slander by former documentary film-maker DIRK SUMMERS. Summers' complaint, that he had been unable to obtain work because of MCClanahan's derogatory statements about him after a failed business project, was served to MCClanahan's agent and not her lawyer, a method deemed inappropriate by the three-judge panel. Justice EARL JOHNSON wrote, "Accepting Summers' rationale would constitute a judicial repeal of California's statutory law governing service of process and the adoption of only one rule: 'A summons may be served on anyone, anywhere, by any means which results in actual notice of the action in time to defend.'" MCClanahan played Golden Girl BLANCHE DEVEREAUX from 1985 to 1992 on the hit NBC series, starring alongside BEA ARTHUR, BETTY WHITE and ESTELLE GETTY.