There isn't a successful filmmaker alive who hasn't been slapped with a lawsuit at one time or another claiming that a film of theirs was stolen from someone else. Just ask Steven Spielberg how many times he was hit with lawsuits over Raiders of the Lost Ask and E.T. So welcome to the club Tyler!

Yesterday in a Philadelphia federal court a lawsuit was filed against Tyler Perry and Lionsgate Entertainment claiming that the plot for his film Good Deeds, released eariler this year, was actually stolen from another source.

The plaintiff is author Terri Donald, who writes under the non de plume TLO Red'ness, and who says that Perry lifted the premise of his film from her 2007 book Bad Apples Can Be Good Fruit.

According to Donald, or Ms. Red'ness, she sent a copy of her book to Perry's production comany long before production on the film began.

Ms Red'ness is seeking $225,000 in damages as well as an injuction requiring the Perry's company to add a credit for her book in both the opening and closing credits of the film as well as to provide a complete and accurate account of the movie's box office take.

So far neither Perry, his company or Lionsgate have responded to the lawsuit or her accusations.