Did Jack Thompson Lose Weight? He Looks About $42K Lighter

From my experience, checks being handled by the Court in any way take quite a bit of time to be cashed. If they got it on the 6th, and today being the 20th, that's only 2 weeks, that's not a real long time. I had a parking ticket that took a month and a half to cash once.

I don't know specifics, but it seems like checks to the Court seem to go through alot of different hands before being presented to the Bank. This is also a very large check, so there is probably some special scrutiny going on as well, due to our wonderful Department of Homeland Security.

~The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either. ~ Benjamin Franklin

 Checks this large actually go through extra scrutiny with Federal regulation before the funds get transferred.  

He is also dealing with a Government agency, which adds in to the delay.  The Clerk of Court will file the check and mark the date it was received, and that will prevent JT from paying fines.   The Clerk will then turn the check over to the Cashier for processing.   Depending on the volume of checks the Cashier may or may not take deposits to the Government's Bank for several days.   

Once the Check is actually at a Bank, most likely the Cashier dropped the check off in a deposit bag in a business drop off box.   These deposit bags don't actually get opened in Banks themselves, they are shipped to a central processing facility where they are opened and all of the deposits get entered.    The check number will then be entered into a computer along with the amount.

Now, due to Federal Regulation mentioned above a check this size will trigger a mandatory waiting period to make sure the check is not part of some form of fraud.    Also the courts bank will quiry JTs bank to determine if the funds are available.    JT's bank also put a waiting period before transferring the funds out of his account to make sure there is no fraud involved. 

Of course everything above it completely out of the Chief Justice's hands and he doesn't even know anything of it.  This is an area of accountants not lawyers.  So basically JT is complaining to the wrong person.

Additionally JT could have very well avoided this entire problem if he had just gotten a Certified Check from his Bank.   I don't know of any Bank that would charge a client for one when they have 42k in the account, and the funds would have immediately been transferred out of his account.    The court also would have been able to process the check quicker because the funds are garunteed by the Bank, not the account holder.

I think the reason JT is in a hurry to get these funds out of his accounts if probably for Tax reasons.  Pretty sure JT's tax return won't look quite as good if he closes out '08 with an additional 42k in his accounts.

Holding a check that large for 12-13 bank days is unprofessional at least and can be a legal liability at worst.  If Jack had to liquidate assests to free up cash (and he probably did), very likely this delay will cost him extra fees.  The Bar is really just opening themselves up to a suit from Thompson to recoup any additional costs.

You don't hold a check to see if it clears, you bring the check to your bank and have them negotiate the transfer of funds.  If Jack's bank hasn't been contacted in this manner, that means the Bar is just sitting on the check. 

Now, there's probably more to it than that, as Jack is never entirely forthcoming.

~~All Knowledge is Worth Having~~

Yup, Jack has them right where he wants them *tries to hold back a snicker*. He stated so many times how within a short time that he'll be a lawyer again and he won't pay such a stupid fee. *stiffling the compulsive giggles* That he'll punish those who...er....HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Well at least he got them to knock down the price...by a whole 1k out of the 43k (we are clapping for you. Good work there...and nooooo not being sarcastic at all...)

Well Jack, nice to see you are as accurate as you ever have been. Suck it up and take it like a man finally?

i will say that i may not like Jack personally...(i could write so much on the subject), but dont worry Jack, if they got your check within the time limit then nothing should happen where they charge you more money.... this comes from personal experience with having to pay the govt. a few times they got my check and they waited like a week sometimes 2 before they cashed it.

I may not have a checking accout to know every intricate way how they work, but... what 'negotiations' would have to be made? And more importantly, can't they cash the check when they damn well please? Or better yet, with that kind of money, actually deposit it? Or did that little possibility escape Jack's feeble mind?