Teri Hatcher wins round in court against former business associate

Teri Hatcher won a round in court today when a judge threw out an intentional infliction of emotional distress allegation brought against the “Desperate Housewives” by a former business associate.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David L. Minning ruled that Jennifer Glassman was not subjected to outrageous conduct when Teri Hatcher sent a mass e-mail last February telling business contacts that the woman was no longer working with her.

“In the entertainment business, that’s business as usual,” Minning said.

However, Minning said additional causes of action for interference with prospective business relations and detrimental reliance can remain part of the case if Glassman’s legal team provides additional facts to support them within 20 working days.

Glassman’s attorney, V. Andre Sherman, said he was pleased the judge gave him a chance to fix the problems with the other allegations.

Glassman also is suing on allegations of fraud, breach of an oral contract and wrongful termination.

Hatcher’s lawyer, Joseph R. Taylor, declined to comment after the hearing, but said in court that Minning was correct in throwing out the emotional distress claim.

“I think the court has got it right,” Taylor said.

Glassman, a veteran marketing executive, sued Hatcher, ABC Studios and The Walt Disney Co. last Aug. 10. She says she went into business with Hatcher in 2006 to run her company, ISBE Productions, in exchange for half of the profits.

But Hatcher and ABC attempted to exclude her from any revenue sharing and did so just prior to the successful launch of a prominent website supported by Disney, Glassman alleges.

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