Charlie Sheen fired from work or hired for future?

Two and a Half Men is an American television comedy series which premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show is about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake. The show has ranked among the Top 20 programs every season since it first aired. In 2010, CBS and Warner Bros Television reached a multi-year broadcast agreement for the series, renewing it through at least the 2011–12 seasons.

One side in the ongoing battle between Charlie Sheen and the companies that produce his hit sitcom finally blinked on Monday. "After careful consideration, Warner Bros. Television has terminated Charlie Sheen’s services on "Two and a Half Men" effective immediately," the company announced in a statement.

A source familiar with the decision to terminate Sheen’s contract said that Sheen was informed of the news, “shortly before” the statement was released, at approximately 4:30 p.m. ET. At approximately 4 ET, Sheen tweeted, “#winning.”

"This is very good news," TMZ.com quoted the actor as saying. "They continue to be in breach, like so many whales. It is a big day of gladness at the Sober Valley Lodge because now I can take all of the bazillions, never have to look at whatshiscock again and I never have to put on those silly shirts for as long as this warlock exists in the terrestrial dimension."

Did Warner Bros have sufficient legal cause to fire its renegade star Charlie Sheen — and does Sheen have a substantial case if, as he and his attorney have threatened, he files suit against his Two and a Half Men studio?

"Right now, each side is throwing their case at each other — it's punch, counterpunch," says Barry Peek, an attorney at New York law firm Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, which specializes in entertainment employment.

In an 11-page letter sent Monday to Sheen's attorney, Martin Singer, and obtained by TMZ, studio lawyers said Sheen was fired for several reasons. The studio believes his acknowledged drug use constitutes "a felony involving moral turpitude," even if he hasn't been charged, which Peek says requires a "heavy burden of proof.

But Warner Bros claims that Sheen is unable to "perform the essential duties of his position," defined by his "physical appearance, inability to deliver lines, inability to collaborate creatively with staff and crew" and "inflammatory comments poisoning key working relationships," might be easier to prove.

The studio says it has ample evidence in outtakes from filming that Sheen "had difficulty remembering his lines and hitting his marks," citing missed rehearsals and his own admission that he sometimes showed up to work after not having slept and needed furniture rearranged so he'd have something to lean on for balance.

Jack Lerner, a professor at USC's law school, says that based on his review of legal documents, "Warner has a very strong case for terminating (Sheen's) contract. He could have some argument that his addiction could be treated like a disability that needs an accommodation, but given his conduct, which goes so far beyond the mere inability to perform, I don't think he has much of a chance at winning, whether in arbitration or in court."

Peek says the actor could sue for "a damaged reputation beyond lost income" and argue "mental distress," but he's unlikely to prevail because "his actions speak for themselves. He's acting like he's in distress, but not by the actions of anyone but himself."

Sheen's attorney Singer did not respond to requests for comment, though in his Tuesday night webcast Sheen called the firing "illegal" and "unconscionable."

CBS has kept mum about its interest in Men minus Sheen. "We're not speculating about the potential for continuing without him," says spokesman Chris Ender. But Warner Bros., which has sold the show into syndication for a ninth season, is expected to pitch a recast series to CBS, which would decide by mid-May whether to continue.