LOS ANGELES - Two men suing an auctioneer in a legal dispute concerning the alleged devalued sale of the original model of the Starship Enterprise have convinced a judge that a few words can make a difference as they were granted permission to amend their lawsuit over the objections of the defense.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel S. Murphy ruled on Wednesday that Dustin Riach and Jason Rivas against Heritage Auctioneers and Galleries Inc. can add sentences to their complaint stating that Joseph Maddalena, a Heritage executive, “sought to generate publicity for himself as the hero who returned the long-lost starship” to the family of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, who died in October 1991 at age 70.

Maddalena’s alleged action “deprived plaintiffs of promotional and reality content opportunities and resulted in secret profits for defendants which plaintiffs are entitled to,” according to the amended complaint. Because the revised complaint as proposed added no new causes of action, Heritage attorneys opposed any changes.

But the judge said the updates were proper.

“The proposed (first amended complaint) describes usurped publicity and reality content opportunities resulting in the need to assert disgorgement as a remedy,” Murphy wrote. “This is a substantive change justifying amendment.”

In their original suit brought May 7, Riach and Rivas say the discovered the model and hired Heritage to sell it, but that the auction house breached its duties by selling it to Roddenberry’s son, Rod Roddenberry at a discount to encourage future business for Heritage.

The plaintiffs maintain the model was sold in 2023 for $300,000 despite being worth $800,000. Trial of their case is scheduled Aug. 26, 2025.