The judge awarded the Plaintiff $0 and ordered him to pay the Defendants’ court costs.
Hooray for good judges.
And on a related note, when this story first broke, husband and I were emailing back and forth about it. Here is what he said they should do to the guy:
He needs to be financially ruined forever. They should make him pay the 67 million to the poor cleaners, then they should punch him in the nuts, and give him a cardboard box to live in for the rest of his life, oh and they need to sterilize him too just in case he wants to make more worthless jacka_ses.
That’s really not a bad plan, either…
Serves the prick right. Should have taken the, IMHO, generous original settlement and with a smile.
What an ass.
~Matt
I wonder what this will do to the plaintiff professionally. Is he still on the bench? If I were to go into a courtroom with him presiding, you can bet your ass there would be significant issues with whether I thought he was able to be “reasonable” in any case from now on.
What do all the lawyers think? is this guys credibility cooked?
I think his position as an Adminstrative Law judge is very tenuous at this point. His reappointment was on hold pending the outcome of this case. Also, an ethics charge is pending against him with the DC Bar. Given that he has a track record for filing frivolous lawsuits this could very well end up with him owing tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees, no job, disbarred and bankrupt. Serves him right. The only way he could make his situation any worse would be to file an appeal, which most people expect him to do.
The only way he could make his situation any worse would be to file an appeal, which most people expect him to do.
Seriously? What is wrong with some people?
The thing that bums me out is that he was ever offered a settlement to begin with. Is that how it works now? You threaten to sue for a large enough sum and you will immediately be offered a settlement? In that case I’m suing slowman for $80 million for my carpal tunnel syndrome. Any settlement offers will be considered.
someone should cuff this slacker along side the head if he don’t zip it
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Given that he has a track record for filing frivolous lawsuits this could very well end up with him owing tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees, no job, disbarred and bankrupt
Not to pour cold water on your prediction, but here in the Golden State an order to pay court costs would not include attorneys’ fees. Court costs generally include filing fees, jury fees, motion fees, deposition costs, etc.
That was a typo, I meant court costs. Lame mistake on my part. But, it is possible that the Court will award legal fees to the Defendants in this case. Not a strong possibility but it could happen.
But, it is possible that the Court will award legal fees to the Defendants in this case. Not a strong possibility but it could happen.
No chance of that here without an express agreement or statute. The bar complaint ought to scare him straight. There was a group of attorneys who were suing nail salons for violations of a proposition inspired law regarding the posting of warnings about carcinogens. Essentially extorting nuisance settlements. The State Bar hunted them down and punched their tickets.
**That was a typo, I meant court costs. Lame mistake on my part. But, it is possible that the Court will award legal fees to the Defendants in this case. Not a strong possibility but it could happen. **
Why wouldn’t they countersue him? Seems like a slam dunk option to “literally” take him to the cleaners!
I would love to see a seven figure countersuit for the “pain and suffering” this jerk caused by filing such an absurd lawsuit. I also hope he loses his ability to ever practice law. Stuff like this is absolutely disgusting.
Under what law would the defendant counter-sue?
emotional distress, pain and suffering, defamation of character, who knows. I’m definately not a lawyer, but they should be able to dream something up. This scum bag should be forced to compensate the owners of the cleaners for lawyer fees and for their own time spent in defending this worthless case.
Those are damages theories. The person being sued has to actually do something illegal. I don’t think filing a lawsuit (even a specious one) is illegal.
EDIT
Let me rephrase. I don’t think filing a meritless lawsuit is compensable in a separate civil action. In other words, I don’t think I can sue you for filing a lawsuit against me. I may be wrong, but I would think it would be darn near impossible.
In KY we have Rule 11, where the court can order sanctions against a plaintiff for filing a lawsuit without merit. I would assume most states have something similar in their civil rules.
“In that case I’m suing slowman for $80 million for my carpal tunnel syndrome.”
hell, i’d sue myself if i could.
“In that case I’m suing slowman for $80 million for my carpal tunnel syndrome.”
hell, i’d sue myself if i could.
You could, however, the larger question is would you defend yourself against yourself?
I think most jurisdictions do have a Rule 11 or its equivalent, but Rule 11 is not a separate claim for relief. It’s a motion for sanctions. There is no defamation, mental anguish or pain & suffering related to it. My point was that to my knowledge, there is no independent cause of action against someone for filing a lawsuit, even if it’s a frivolous one.
Sorry Steve, that was meant to be a reply to Tri N OC.