March 20, 2008 -
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:
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.
UPDATE: Thompson writes in to say that he mailed today's motion prior to the Florida Supreme Court's order and that, in any event, he is entitled to make an oral argument on the matter.
Comments
It's as if he wants to get disbarred.
That's exactly what I was singing when I saw that.
Jack Thompson wins this case...wait what? He lost?
YES! Thank you, ohh thank you American Court system! Thank you guy who prosecuted against JT...And thank you gay porno for giving JT his "dirty" thoughts...
This could be VERY interesting.
P"ick.
@Rey
I find that to be an exceedingly appropriate song to sing right now
Classic. Beautiful. I can't wait to see him flail impotently at this one.
'Nuff said. :P
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
The system works. I'm so pleased. Setting aside his agenda, the one thing I've never liked about the guy is he's a bully. Seemed to feel like the legal system was his own personal implement to bludgeon people with who don't share his belief. Maybe I'm not a lawyer, but I read that to basically say the legal version of "We warned you. SHUT UP."
The system works!
Didn't see that coming! Ha!!! ;) :D
You know the more that Jack is losing the better he thinks he is doing. Just for once I'd like Jack to realize, "Oh hell, I'm boned."
I think most, if not all people learn at some point in their lives that sometimes there are things that should not be said. Conversations where things said too hastily in anger or frustration cause the loss of friendship, respect, or even have repercussions on one's professional life. Things we say that we wish we could take back and this time, think before saying. That's in the spur of the moment however. This man rattled off his letters, "media alerts", "responses", motions, etc. without a single thought as to whether what he was saying was a good idea or not, and it has cost him dearly.
Abraham Lincoln was said to have wrote letters in anger. Mean, spiteful an insulting letters, but he never sent them. As he wrote, he mulled over his words and ultimately decided against sending them, perhaps instead, having "exorcised" the angry words and getting them out, he was able to reflect without the initial anger and compose more suitable messages. If only Jack had picked this historical figure to compare himself to (as opposed to Paul Revere, Jesus, Batman, Martin Luther King, etc.), he may not have ended up in his current pitiful state.
I would LOVE to hear how the idiot in Miami thinks this is a good thing. He probably thinks it's "proof" of a "widespread conspiracy against him". Shiny side out, JT.
I tip my hat to the Florida Bar Association, and here's hoping they will go all the way and disbar this embarrassment of a human being.
And there was MUCH rejoicing! Best news ever! :)
My kingdom for an edit function GP!
Can we see the email JT sent out in response please ??
We should keep base camp anyways, because JT could use other venues to be heard.
And JT says the ruling is both 'Good news' and 'idiotic'? Buwha? I wonder if he means he's been an idiot and the ruling was good news for folks who want a bit of decorum from the legal institutions of our great state and nation. Or maybe JT just had a few too many Rum & Cokes after the ruling. Thats completely possible too.
I doubt it because she's got a long list of honors and is part of a good firm, but you never know.
I sure hope so.
Court orders and filings are part of public record, but public record cannot be used as a cause for slander/libel. So, uncouth individuals that happen to have a J.D. and practice in a particular state can file defamatory and potentially libel/ slanderous statements all day long and not get busted for it. I would argue that use of the courts in this manner is another violation of the Bar's code of ethics, and also grounds for a contempt of court charge. Just a thought.
What happens then depends on his reality distortion field. He will either feel as if everyone in the world is holding him dear in their heart, or he will possibly lash out at a world that has rejected him, likely in a long and rambling press release.
Note: I purposefully didn't name any relations in this post.
And Thompson, if you're reading this, here's a song recommendation for you that I think will fit nicely to what you're experiencing these days:
Celldweller - Welcome to the End
This is EXACTLY what Jack Thompson wanted!! Now the florida bar is his to destroy!!!
This is exactly the good news jack was looking for.
Meanwhile, on planet Earth, the rest us raise our glasses to the Florida Bar.
Handcuff time.
This is a beautiful day....*cry*....
I think that's what he's aiming for, if he can't win, then he'll go down a 'martyr' to the evils of the gaming industry in his own eyes.
But yes it won't be so hard. Some lawyers don't care much about the case, just getting paid for it.
The hope here by the Court is that by getting a real lawyer to sign off on filings, it will dramatically reduce the volume and clean up the language of the filings.
This can only be a good thing.
I feel sorry for the poor court clerks who had to wade through his bile.
Nicely put :D
This might be one small step to devastate JT, yet it's a step never the less.
Sooner or later, he will lose more, and the day will come when we all can celebrate his disbarment.
I'm wondering if his wife will "risk" her career for her beloved looney husband.
Honestly I'm quite surprised that she hasn't ditched him already...
HALLELUJAH!