SDNY COURTHOUSE, March 30 – The City of New York accused Jordan McGraw, son
of Dr. Phil, of misusing images and video of NYPD in his
"Behind the Badge." The City filed suit in NYS court; it
was removed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern
District of New York, where Inner City Press has been
tracking it.
On March 27 Inner City Press went to the
first in-person conference in the case, before SDNY Judge
Denise L. Cote. But the first thing said by the City's
Corporation Counsel lawyer was the case was settled on the
way to the courthouse.
Judge Cote said, You'll file a
30 day order, then adjourned (and ended) the case.
In the hallway Inner City Press asked
McGraw Media's representative, up from Texas, if it had
really settled while walking or riding to the courthouse.
He laughed and said, Not in a taxi but over the last few
days. He added that the City was "satisfied
with the edits."
On March 30, the 14 page settlement
agreement, in full on Patreon here,
summarized in docket: "SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT: NOW,
THEREFORE, the Parties agree as follows: 1. During the
pendency of this litigation, McGraw Media has provided the
NYPD with rough cuts of episodes 1-6. The NYPD has
provided McGraw Media with edits to episodes 1-4, and
McGraw Media has revised episodes 1-4 to reflect those
edits. With those edits, episodes 1-4 are acceptable to
the City. 2. McGraw Media shall cut the remaining video
footage into three additional episodes, for a total of
nine episodes. McGraw Media will provide completed rough
cuts of episodes 7-9 to the NYPD in a manner similar to
the rough cuts provided for episodes 1-6. The NYPD will
provide its edits on episodes 5-9 to McGraw Media and
McGraw Media will incorporate the edits into those
episodes. This Settlement Agreement shall be interpreted
pursuant to the laws of the State of New York and any
claim to enforce any right or obligation hereunder shall
be brought in the Federal Action. For purposes of
construing any ambiguities in this Settlement Agreement,
no Party shall be considered the drafter. 22. The Parties
agree that this Settlement Agreement, together with the
Stipulations of Dismissal and Releases, contains all the
terms and conditions agreed to by the Parties hereto, and
supersedes all prior negotiations, representations, and
agreements, whether written or oral. This Settlement
Agreement may not be altered, modified, or amended in any
manner whatsoever except by written instrument signed by
the Parties granting such modification, amendment, or
waiver, and then such modification, amendment, or waiver
shall be effective only in the specific instance and for
the express purpose for which it was given. The Parties
agree that this Settlement Agreement, together with the
Stipulations of Dismissal, may be executed in
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original as
against the Party whose signature appears thereon, all of
which shall together constitute one and the same
instrument, and an electronic or facsimile copy may be
treated as an original. (AS FURTHER SET FORTH IN THIS
ORDERED.) SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Denise L. Cote on
3/30/2026)."
The case is, or was, City of New York v.
McGraw Media, et al., 1:26-cv-598 (Cote)
