Catherine, Michael's Images Questioned

By Stephen M. Silverman And Sara Hammel

Wednesday March 05, 2003 01:00 AM EST

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Although Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones didn't show up in London's High Court Wednesday, their breach of privacy case against Britain's Hello! magazine continued at full steam with the defense's closing arguments, reports PEOPLE.

One focus of the day's arguments: whether the Douglases have the right to control their own images -- and seek payment if that image is used against their will.

"The Douglases can't depend on that," defense lawyer James Price said. "We'll have a situation where film stars have a remedy but ordinary people don't ... Some say it's a right celebrities should have."

Price also reiterated that there is no case to be made for invasion of privacy. But his statement caused the judge, Justice Lindsay, to declare: "The wedding was a private occasion."

Zeta-Jones, 33, and Douglas, 58, are suing Hello! after the magazine scooped its rival OK! by publishing photos of the couple's splashy 2000 New York wedding. (OK! had paid the Douglases $1.6 million for the exclusive photo rights.) The stars claim their privacy was invaded.

Price is expected to finish his closing remarks Thursday morning.

Michael Tugendhat, representing the Douglases and OK! magazine (which is also suing Hello!), is expected to begin his closing arguments Thursday afternoon.