▁had ▁to ▁decide ▁the ▁" gate way ▁issues ▁of ▁valid ity ▁and ▁ar bit rab ility ". ▁The ▁Jackson ▁estate ▁called ▁this ▁argument ▁" class ic ▁t aut ology " ▁and ▁that ▁it ▁" ass umes ▁the ▁very ▁conclusion ▁that ▁H BO ▁wants ▁an ▁adj ud icator ▁to ▁reach ▁in ▁this ▁dispute , ▁i . e ., ▁that ▁there ▁are ▁no ▁remaining ▁oblig ations ▁under ▁the ▁Ag re ement ". ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁Judge ▁George ▁Wu , ▁H BO ▁file d ▁a ▁SL APP ▁( Str ateg ic ▁Law suit ▁Again st ▁Public ▁Part icip ation ) ▁motion ▁against ▁the ▁estate ▁on ▁August ▁ 2 9 . ▁It ▁pointed ▁to ▁the ▁" extra ordinary " ▁orig ins ▁of ▁the ▁case . ▁The ▁estate ▁argued ▁that ▁its ▁pet ition ▁is ▁a ▁federal ▁issue , ▁under ▁the ▁Federal ▁Ar bitr ation ▁Act , ▁hence ▁the ▁California ▁SL APP ▁law ▁should ▁not ▁take ▁preced ence . ▁They ▁said , ▁" Bre aching ▁an ▁agreement ▁by ▁ref using ▁to ▁arbitr ate ▁is ▁not ▁constitution ally ▁protected ▁activity . ▁And ▁even ▁if ▁it ▁were , ▁the ▁Jackson ▁Est ate ▁has ▁shown ▁a ▁probability ▁of ▁success ▁on ▁that ▁claim ." ▁The ▁SL APP ▁law ▁provides ▁an ▁automatic ▁right ▁to ▁an ▁immediate ▁appeal , ▁which ▁may ▁bring ▁the ▁case ▁to ▁the ▁N inth ▁Circ uit . ▁ ▁On ▁September ▁ 1 9 , ▁Judge ▁Wu ▁tent atively ▁denied ▁H BO ' s ▁motion ▁to ▁dismiss ▁the ▁estate ' s ▁law suit . ▁John ▁Bran ca , ▁co -