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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]
11. COMMITMENTS AND CONTIGENCIES
 
Legal Matters
 
Texas Patron Tax
 
The Company has reached a settlement with the State of Texas over payment of the state’s Patron Tax on adult club customers. To resolve the issue of taxes owed, the Company agreed to pay $10.0 million in equal monthly installments of $119,000, without interest, over the next 84 months for all but two non settled locations. Going forward, the Company agreed to remit the Patron Tax on a monthly basis, based on the current rate of $5 per customer. For accounting purposes, the Company has discounted the $10.0 million at an imputed interest rate of 9.6%, establishing a net present value for the settlement of $7.2 million. This is included as long-term debt in the consolidated balance sheets. As a consequence, the Company has recorded an $8.2 million pre-tax gain for the third quarter ending June 30, 2015, representing the difference between the $7.2 million and the amount previously accrued for the tax.
 
New York Settlement
 
On April 1, 2015, we and our subsidiaries, RCI Entertainment (New York), Inc. and Peregrine Enterprises, Inc., entered into an agreement to settle in full a New York based federal wage and hour class action case filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The settlement has been filed with the court for preliminary approval. Trial was scheduled to begin April 27, 2015. Under terms of the agreement, RCI Entertainment (New York), Inc. and Peregrine Enterprises, Inc. will make up to $15 million available to class members and their attorneys. The actual amount paid will be determined based on the number of class members responding by the end of a three-month notice period, with final court approval expected sometime after that. Any unclaimed checks or payments will revert back to our subsidiaries. Based on the current schedule, an initial payment of $1,833,333 will be made in approximately five months, with two subsequent payments of $1,833,333 each being made in equal annual installments. As part of the settlement, we were required to guarantee the obligations of RCI Entertainment (New York), Inc. and Peregrine Enterprises, Inc. under the settlement.
 
Filed in 2009, the case claimed Rick’s Cabaret New York misclassified entertainers as independent contractors. Plaintiffs sought minimum wage for the hours they danced and return of certain fees. RCI Entertainment (New York), Inc. and Peregrine Enterprises, Inc. maintained the dancers were properly classified, and alternatively, amounts earned were well in excess of the minimum wage and should satisfy any obligations.
 
In accordance with GAAP, the Company has accrued $10.3 million as of June 30, 2015 as the estimated liability for its obligations under the settlement. This is included as accrued liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.
 
Indemnity Insurance Corporation
 
As previously reported, the Company and its subsidiaries were insured under a liability policy issued by Indemnity Insurance Corporation, RRG (“IIC”) through October 25, 2013.  The Company and its subsidiaries changed insurance companies on that date.
 
On November 7, 2013, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware entered a Rehabilitation and Injunction Order (“Rehabilitation Order”), which declared IIC impaired, insolvent and in an unsafe condition and placed IIC under the supervision of the Insurance Commissioner of the State of Delaware (“Commissioner”) in her capacity as receiver (“Receiver”).  The Rehabilitation Order empowered the Commissioner to rehabilitate IIC through a variety of means, including gathering assets and marshaling those assets as necessary.  Further, the order stayed or abated pending lawsuits involving IIC as the insurer until May 6, 2014. Since the expiration of the order the lawsuits have resumed. We are funding 100% of the costs of litigation and will seek reimbursement from the bankruptcy receiver.
 
On April 10, 2014, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware entered a Liquidation and Injunction Order With Bar Date (“Liquidation Order”), which ordered the liquidation of IIC and terminated all insurance policies or contracts of insurance issued by IIC.  The Liquidation Order further ordered that all claims against IIC must be filed with the Receiver before the close of business on January 16, 2015 and that all pending lawsuits involving IIC as the insurer are further stayed or abated until October 7, 2014.  As a result, the Company and its subsidiaries no longer have insurance coverage under the liability policy with IIC.  Currently, there are multiple civil lawsuits pending or threatened against the Company and its subsidiaries; and other potential lawsuits for incidents that occurred before October 25, 2013 could still be filed.  The Company has retained counsel to defend against and evaluate these claims and lawsuits.  The Company filed the appropriate claims against IIC with the Receiver before the January 16, 2015 deadline. however, there are no assurances of any recovery from these claims. It is unknown at this time what effect this uncertainty will have on the Company.  As previously stated, the Company has obtained general liability coverage from another insurer, effective October 25, 2013, which will cover any claims arising from actions after that date.  
 
Settlement of lawsuits and other one-time costs include no payments during the quarters ended June 30, 2015 and 2014 in settlements with claimants which were unpaid by our general liability insurance carrier.
 
Settlement of lawsuits and other one-time costs for the nine months ended June 30, 2014 include a $2 million settlement with a claimant which was unpaid by our general liability insurance carrier. We will be filing a claim with the insurance company’s estate and with the state’s insurance fund for this settlement.