Wagstaff-El v. Carlton Press Co.

Raymond Wagstaff-EL appeals from Judge Stanton’s order granting summary judgment in favor of defendants-appellees after he had vacated a default judgment against them. We affirm.

In April 1985, while incarcerated at Ray Brook, New York, Wagstaff-EL submitted the manuscript of a book entitled “The Life, Works, Teachings of Jesus in India, Africa, Europe and in the Land of Egypt” to Carlton Press (“Carlton”), a subsidy publisher, more commonly known as a vanity press. In May 1985, Carlton wrote to Wagstaff-EL offering to publish his book and sending a contract for his review. Under the contract,…