Rick Hilton asks judge to dismiss HairTech lawsuit

Reported by Beverly Hills Courier

An attorney for Paris Hilton and her father asked a judge today to dismiss portions of a $35 million lawsuit brought by a hair accessory company that alleges the socialite wore a rival’s extension product in violation of a contract.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Gregory W. Alarcon did not immediately rule, saying he wanted to mull the issues further and would decide by the end of the day.

HairTech International Inc. of Irvine and its founder, Chris Volek, filed its breach of contract and fraud suit Aug. 11, alleging the 29-year-old heiress broke her promise to wear and promote the product for three years and instead wore the extensions of a competitor.

But lawyer Michael E. Weinsten, representing the Hiltons, told Alarcon that Paris did not commit fraud, arguing she would not have agreed to exclusively wear a company’s hair extensions for three years because her professional commitments require her to change her hairstyle often.

“Obviously, that’s an absurd allegation,” Weinsten said.

He said his client was only obligated to lend her name and likeness to the HairTech product and to make four annual public appearances on behalf of the company.

The lawyer said the fraud and breach-of-contract claims should be dismissed against Rick Hilton because he never said anything false to HairTech or Volek.

Weinsten also said neither Rick Hilton nor the Beanstalk Group, his daughter’s licensing agency, were parties to her contract with the firm.

HairTech attorney Christopher Brainard said he has witnesses who could testify that Hilton’s father assisted his daughter in the contract negotiations and that she was seen buying a competitor’s extensions.