Florida Supreme Court Sanctions Jack Thompson

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http://gamepolitics.com/2008/03/20/breaking-florida-supreme-court-sancti...

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BREAKING - Florida Supreme Court Sanctions Jack Thompson

The Florida Supreme Court will no longer accept anything directly from controversial Miami attorney Jack Thompson. If Thompson wants to file with the Court, he’s going to need to hire another lawyer to do it on his behalf.

That’s the ruling handed down by the Court late this morning.

As GamePolitics reported last month, the Florida Supreme Court issued a show cause order demanding that Thompson explain why the sanction shouldn’t be issued. Clearly, Thompson’s multiple responses did nothing to change the collective mind of the Justices.

The order issued by the Court may be found here, and the following passages are quoted from it:

Quote:
After submitting inappropriate and pornographic materials to this Court, Thompson was specifically warned that should he continue to submit inappropriate filings, this Court would consider imposing a sanction limiting Thompson’s ability to submit further filings…

Since that order, Thompson has filed numerous additional filings which led this Court to issue an order directing Thompson to show cause why we should not limit his filings… We now sanction Thompson…

Thompson engaged, to the point of abuse… in a relentless and frivolous pursuit for vindication of his claim that he is being victimized by The Florida Bar…

Thompson’s multiple responses are rambling, argumentative, and contemptuous… What we cannot tolerate, however, is Thompson’s continued inability to maintain a minimum standard of decorum and respect for the judicial system to which all litigants, and especially attorneys, must adhere…

A thorough review of Thompson’s filings lead to one conclusion. He has abused the processes of the Court… Accordingly… the Clerk of this Court is hereby instructed to reject for filing any future pleadings, petitions, motions, documents, or other filings submitted by John Bruce Thompson, unless signed by a member in good standing of The Florida Bar other than himself.

…Further, if Thompson submits a filing in violation of this order, he may be subjected to contempt proceedings or other appropriate sanctions.


For his part, Thompson has sent out an e-mail describing the Supreme Court’s order as both “good news” and “idiotic.”

GP: Just to be clear, this sanction imposed by the Florida Supreme Court is a separate issue from Thompson’s Bar Trial which we have been reporting on in a series of articles this week. No decision has been rendered by the referee in the Bar Trial as of yet.

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At least in Minnesota, that is a sanction that is reserved for only the biggest a33holes. It's a big deal because it directly implicates a person's constitutional right to representation. I've never heard of it being imposed on a lawyer before, it's usually used against pro se people like tax protesters who just want to derail the judicial system through volume.

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Skippy's picture
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Yeah I just saw this a little bit ago. The majority of comments Iv'e read have made this seem like a death blow to Thompson when in reality its just a big inconveniance. He can still file more cases, but he just has to pass it along an actual respectable attorney. Hopefully this will dissuade him from creating any GTAIV controversies, but unfortunatly this doesn't gag him from making ignorant comments on the news .

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Skippy wrote:
he just has to pass it along an actual respectable attorney.

That's assuming he can find another lawyer as bats**t crazy as him. I don't know if that's possible. But then, we are talking about attorneys here, so you never can tell.

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dhelor wrote:
Skippy wrote:
he just has to pass it along an actual respectable attorney.

That's assuming he can find another lawyer as bats**t crazy as him. I don't know if that's possible. But then, we are talking about attorneys here, so you never can tell.

Don't forget that he'll probably have to pay the other attorney as well. Before he could file to his crazy heart's content for free. He'll probably have to think at least twice now that he has to go out of pocket.

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The reason everyone is seeing this as a death blow to his career is because who will want to hire a lawyer who has to hire a lawyer? Also i am posting this from my phone. This is fantastic.

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Mordiceius wrote:
The reason everyone is seeing this as a death blow to his career is because who will want to hire a lawyer who has to hire a lawyer? Also i am posting this from my phone. This is fantastic.

That cracked me up. Even in a world with Jack Thompson, there is still joy.

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Skippy wrote:
He can still file more cases, but he just has to pass it along an actual respectable attorney.

What are the chances he'll find one as crazy as he is?

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Good lord, I wouldn't have expected brilliance like that from that nemeslut Quintin Stone!

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The transcripts of Jack's bar trial make entertaining reading. Even in this case which could have significant repercussions for him, he appears to be acting like a wanker and it seems that he presiding judge is already sick and tired of his theatrics.

http://gamepolitics.com/2008/03/20/the-bar-trial-of-jack-thompson-part-3-thompson-cross-examines-judge-who-kicked-him-off-gta-cop-killer-case/

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anything not good for Jack Thompson, no matter how small, I welcome

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dhelor's picture
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Quintin_Stone wrote:
Skippy wrote:
He can still file more cases, but he just has to pass it along an actual respectable attorney.

What are the chances he'll find one as crazy as he is?

Freaking skimmer.

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I'm sure he could ask Fox News to borrow their attorney.

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My wife, who is an attorney, hates it when I rant about this guy.

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THAT is an excellent read. A most enjoyable way to pass the time with my pancakes and bacon. Thanks for posting.

Cheers!
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DudleySmith wrote:
The transcripts of Jack's bar trial make entertaining reading. Even in this case which could have significant repercussions for him, he appears to be acting like a wanker and it seems that he presiding judge is already sick and tired of his theatrics.

http://gamepolitics.com/2008/03/20/the-bar-trial-of-jack-thompson-part-3-thompson-cross-examines-judge-who-kicked-him-off-gta-cop-killer-case/

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dhelor wrote:
Freaking skimmer.

I'm far too busy to spend my exceedingly valuable time reading each and every post. Come on, be reasonable.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Good lord, I wouldn't have expected brilliance like that from that nemeslut Quintin Stone!

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As encouraging as it is to see that the system works, I thought we weren't posting Jack Thompson stuff? Something about not giving a braying ignorant jackass attention he doesn't deserve?

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Yeah, but when it's information concerning JT getting his ass handed to him, I say, "Post It!".

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I think the most important thing about this is that it will be heavily taken into account by the Florida Bar, when they decide whether to revoke his license to practice.

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LobsterMobster wrote:
As encouraging as it is to see that the system works, I thought we weren't posting Jack Thompson stuff? Something about not giving a braying ignorant jackass attention he doesn't deserve?

I think that would only apply to JT whoring himself out for media coverage by making blatantly overstated and false claims about the effects of gaming.

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And JT now has gotten even more undeserved attention which is exactly what he wants.

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More transcripts were just posted, of Thompson cross examining a Take 2 lawyer. Pretty amusing stuff.

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Parallax Abstraction wrote:
And JT now has gotten even more undeserved attention which is exactly what he wants.

Attention or no, getting banned from filing, and potentially having his license revoke, is not what he wants.

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Undoubtedly. But as Fox News and other US news outlets have shown before, having no credibility as an attorney has little bearing on whether or not you get airtime as an expert on a particular issue. The man wants to stay in the spotlight by any means necessary, that is a primary goal. I love GP and have a lot of respect for the works he does there. But he's the biggest distributor of JT related news on the web and whether in a good or bad way, JT has us all talking about him and that's what he wants. He shouldn't be getting it.

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It looks like our favourite lawyer may be facing a 10 year disbarment from practicing law:

Story from Gamespot

It certainly sounded like a lively time in the court room. Here's a shovel Jack; keep digging.

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SWEET!

Le Jack wrote:
Because of the [DBR] article, which contains my entire Objections filing, I am now getting phone calls from highly respected people who are proving to me the criminal conduct of The Florida Bar... We are meeting with law enforcement officials about that.

This is all wonderful. Light is now being shone in some very dark places, and the Daily Business Review has assisted in that wonderfully.

I am now going to win this fight, by the grace of God and because of the First Amendment, most particularly the right to freedom of the press. Certain Florida Bar officials need to hire criminal defense lawyers today. The investigations are already underway. And if you think I'm kidding, then you don't know Jack.

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Aww man... where are Florida Bar officials gonna find defense lawyers?

I'll bet anything this doesn't stop Fox from having him on as a culture/sociology/video game expert.

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Quote:
We are meeting with law enforcement officials about that.

LOL, can he go ten minutes without making that non-specific "working with the law" claim?

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Freaking Awesome. I am not a lawyer or a Judge, but I am a student of the legal system, have worked in various criminal justice fields, and this man's courtroom antics alone, while HI-LARIOUS, should get him disbarred...

Quote:

(Judge) MOORE (on the stand): ...The problem is you were sending just bundles of [documents]... these long speeches and letters to other people that I had no idea what the letters were about... about Katrina money and these lawyers down here in Miami and all this...

(Jack Thompson)JT: And I broke your fax.

MOORE: Yes.

TUMA (Prosecutor): Objection.

MOORE: My secretary said be sure and tell you that.

JT: I'll buy you one.

MOORE: I don't want you to buy me one. I bought one...

DT (presiding Judge): Sustained. Next question...

ROFL! JT sent Judge Moore so many faxes he broke her fax machine... And pissed off her secretary! By this time the Judge had gotten so fed up with JT she didn't even want to file anymore injunctions against him, just hoping he'd go away.

Quote:

MOORE: Just fax after fax after fax after fax after fax after fax.

JT: Do you ever get communications by fax from other lawyers?

MOORE: Occasionally...

JT: What's the cut-off on how many faxes?

MOORE: Oh, I don't know. You reached it, whatever it is.

JT: Anybody else ever reach it?

MOORE: No... Not close... You ruined my fax machine.

Classic stuff.

Quote:

JT: Judge Moore, did you bring a libel action against me?

MOORE: No.

JT: Why not?

MOORE: Well -

TUMA: Objection to relevancy.

DT: Overruled.

MOORE: Why not?

JT: Yes.

MOORE: Mr. Thompson, I want to have the least amount of contact with you I can have. I don't know how to put it any other way than that. I don't want to see you...

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Pure A**hat

Quote:
TUMA: Objection to the relevancy.

DT: Sustained.

JT: Now, hold on. Hold on.

DT: Don't tell me to hold on. I'm making a legal ruling. Go to the next question.

(Thompson and Judge Tunis spar over the objection, leading to...)

JT: Judge... What am I missing here, guys?

DT: Don't do that. That is so inappropriate.

JT: What is inappropriate?

DT: For you to turn to the gallery and speak to two lawyers that are 50 feet away and ask them and turn your back to me... I don't treat you that way. I don't turn around in my chair and talk to other people. I'm speaking to you, sir...

"Don't tell me to hold on. I'm making a legal ruling. Go to the next question."

I... can't... stop... laughing!

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