—> After more than 300 ((**billable**)) hours of research, he concluded that Ellen White was not guilty of either copyright infringement or literary theft.
Incredible, the attorney was hired and instructed to do damage control for the thieving prophetess and low and behold, he delivered using the art of words - which were simply a paid for opinion that never was subject to being under oath. And he scored 300 billable hours!
One who justifies her rampant theft is likely equally guilty of breaking the Law.
In 1981 the church hired copyright attorney Vincent L. Ramik of the law firm Diller, Ramik and Wight to examine Ellen White's writings and present them with his conclusions. Two factors should be considered here, which make the story even more fascinating:
1) Ramik had been raised a Roman Catholic (though not a "practicing" Catholic at the time of his research [read interview below]) and one of the books he examined was, in fact, The Great Controversy—not exactly flattering to that Church or the Pope.
2) Ramik later admitted in an interview that he had been biased against Ellen White when he went into the project, for he had read the work of many of her critics from D.M. Canright right up to the pre-publication manuscript of The White Lie itself.
Nevertheless, after more than 300 hours of researching approximately 1,000 relevant cases in American legal history, Ramik's conclusions were as follows:
"Based upon our review of the facts and legal precedents, we conclude that Ellen G. White was not a plagiarist and her works did not constitute copyright infringement/piracy." (Adventist Review, Sept. 17, 1981)
"Considering all factors necessary in reaching a just conclusion on this issue, it is submitted that the writings of Ellen G. White were conclusively unplagiaristic." (Ibid)
1) Ramik had been raised a Roman Catholic (though not a “practicing” Catholic at the time of his research [read interview below]) and one of the books he examined was, in fact, The Great Controversy—not exactly flattering to that Church or the Pope.
2) Ramik later admitted in an interview that he had been biased against Ellen White when he went into the project, for he had read the work of many of her critics from D.M. Canright right up to the pre-publication manuscript of The White Lie itself.