LOCAL ATTORNEY DAVID PAUL HORAN TO SPEAK ON MEL FISHER VS. THE WORLD
David Paul Horan will tell the story of shipwreck salvor Mel Fisher’s battle with the world to secure the rights to treasures he discovered as part of the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society’s Community of Visiting Scholars on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 from 7:00 to 7:45 PM. The entertaining saga - part bio, part legal treatise, part adventure, part show biz - entitled “MEL vs. THE WORLD”, will be held in the Museum Theater.
Horan, a Key West Attorney with the law firm Horan, Horan & Wallace, is well known for his multiple cases defending Mel Fisher and Treasure Salvors, Inc. starting in 1974. Horan rejected advice by his professor, William VanDercreek to abandon his dream, and succeeded in converting his professor from a skeptic to a treasure bug. Mel Fisher won his battle for rightful ownership of treasures found and to be found. The State of Florida case decision in his favor occurred on January 20, 1982 – three and a half years prior to the finding of the Motherlode on July 20, 1985.
This famous and often quoted decision was affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals and culminated in a favorable ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States. The decision makes Fisher a cult hero to many.
The Museum will be open at 6:00 PM for lecture guests to view the exhibits. The lecture is free and open to the public and will be followed by an informal question and answer session.
Come hear the story of Mel’s victory versus the world.
