Cussler's $14 million legal bill

As Eriq Gardner reports for Reuters, novelist Clive Cussler has been ordered to pay a $14 million legal bill after his attempt to sue the producers of an adaptation of his book, Sahara.

According to some news outlets, the damage for Cussler could be even more significant, with reported legal fees to his own lawyer, Bert Fields, tagged at $8.5 million.

Total pain for Cussler? More than $27 million [including damages to the producers] and counting. After all, Fields plans to appeal the decision for his client, which will probably cost more money. Few would have ever guessed that a controversy over script approval could ever get to be so expensive.

The case was decided back in May 2007, with both sides claiming victory.