Did This Document Bring Florida Supreme Court's Wrath Down Upon Jack Thompson?
Did This Document Bring Florida Supreme Court's Wrath Down Upon Jack Thompson?
February 22, 2008
As GamePolitics reported yesterday, the Florida Supreme Court alleged earlier this week that controversial Miami attorney Jack Thompson has "abused the legal system by submitting numerous frivolous and inappropriate filings in this Court."In GP's experience, Thompson's legal filings are indeed frequent, often vitriolic, and occasionally come with, ahem, pictures attached. But that's old news. So what filing of Thompson's pushed the Florida Supremes to the brink?
The Daily Business Review reports that a December document was specifically mentioned in the Court's show cause order to Thompson:
The court described one of Thompson's recent filings in detail. [Thompson] dubbed it a "children's picture book for adults," interspersing images with text in his motion due to "the court's inability to comprehend" his arguments.
Images included "swastikas, kangaroos in court, a reproduced dollar bill, cartoon squirrels, Paul Simon, Paul Newman, Ray Charles, a handprint with the word 'slap' written under it, Bar Governor Benedict P. Kuehne, a baby, Ed Bradley, Jack Nicholson, Justice Clarence Thomas, Julius Caesar, monkeys, a house of cards," the order said.
You can see that filing here (MS Word format), slightly edited for length. For his part, Thompson told the DBR:
I have a right to file anything I want with the court. It is beyond bizarre that they think they can tell me I can't seek relief. They can deny relief, but they can't tell me I can't seek relief.
GP: Some folks are asking in comments, so let me reiterate. This is a real document that Thompson really filed with the real Florida Supreme Court in December. Apparently, it made the justices really mad...
Comments
But this document however, proves one thing beyond the shadow of a doubt: he has none. He really is as crazy as we think he is. He's got no plan, no end condition, nothing. All he wanted was to get his name in the history books and nothing more. Norm Kent hit the nail on the head. Jack will get his name in the history books all right, just not in the way he wanted. Instead of being seen as a moral crusader, he'll be taught in law classes and textbooks as an example of how not to be an attorney.
What Jack hears: "You aren't allowed to defend yourself, Take-Two said so."
"Won´t somebody please think of the children?... oh, and buy my book..." were his finals words before he shoot his head.
(I´m so violent, maybe games are guilty indeed xD)
Jesus H fucking Christ.
...
WTF, GP, could you please confirm that confirmation? Oh, God.
It's real isn't it. This isn't even funny anymore. Actually it is. One part of me is laughing. Another is crying. How can someone be so insane? How? Why? WTF?
Then again, we can do a near quote from Kryten. "This man is John Bruce Thompson. It is his crime, it is also his punishment."
Until now.
John Bruce Thompson, I concede defeat. The shenanigans I have brought to the court of law are no match for what you have achieved in a single document.
you don't know jack thompson then.
you must remember this is the same person who called everyone here nazis and likened us to the hilter.
when you understand the livejournal banned him. live journal actually frickin banned him.
GP: Is it unethical to post his wife's company website? :D
No wonder the bar threw a fit. He's treating them like children or second-rate internet trolls.
We want to avoid all negative actions toward John Bruce and his family. So please, no spamming him or his wife.
Okay, we already knew Jack has absolutely no sense of legal propriety (assuming I spelled that correctly), and I don't have time at the moment to look through that document, but... good grief.
So like an immature middle schooler fighting with his parents, Thompson's argument is "YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"
Spelled
R
O
L
A
I
D
S
:/
:D
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
You may be on to something... Perhaps - in the 80's when he was still living with his parents, they denied him play time for video games - and now, he's most bitter indeed!!
lol
"Mommy, mommy! Look what I learned today!"
I think we can all say this is definitely FARK-worthy. (I've already submitted it to FARK, BTW)
That document is a work of art. The only thing missing is some melting watches and some excess paint splattered across it.
And this document was supposed to help his argument how???
I'm no lawyer. nor will I ever be, but even I can see by doing something like filing this "document" is, to be perfectly blunt, absolutely childish and foolish.
It's almost like JT wants to be disbarred, but I doubt he even sees the problem at all.
The Florida Supreme Court is not telling him that "he can't seek relief" if he doesn't show cause, but that he'd only to be able file documentation through another attorney.
And all because he is unable or unwilling to practice what he preaches.
I must say, "WOW!" And he thinks he is capable of practicing law?!?
That would not have passed for an eighth grade english paper. How can he expect it to pass for a legal document?
The man is a prick.
"The Florida Bar doesn't get it at all! These images are indeed LULZ-worthy. Why the Florida Bar has not done one iota of research on the matter is beyond me, Thompson. Epic fail, indeed a most epic fail by the Florida Bar."
Not that I doubt GP or the source. It's just that much WTF?
-P
I would've hated to have been the one who had to read the entire thing.
a) Retarded
b) Insane
c) All of the above
This letter proves it.
Then again. If they dot all their i's and cross all the T's, There'll be nothing left for Jack to try and appeal on.
It's almost like watching a steamroller crush a man who's feet have been glued to the sidewalk at 1/3 MPH... *grabs popcorn.*
I mean...Wow. I just have no words to describe Thompson now. That's just bad, when I can't even come up with a comment for him.
It's a shame to see a life go to waste, even Jack's. But if this is what he's chosen, I hope he lives somewhere with plenty of hills for him to shout at.
It's not April 1st, is it?
Where are the men with his complimentary strait jacket?
Maybe his Son? XD
And it's a COURT FILING.
That alone should say there's something wrong with this man...
One other thing - from the document:
"When I look back on all the crap [imaged withheld] I learned in high school, it’s a wonder I can think at all.”
Was the 'withheld' bit put there by GP, or did JT write that? If so, he really is a comedy genius. Incredibly unprofessional, but still a genius.
I was thinking the same thing. I could hear Yahtzee's voice as I read the letter. He just didn't seem as funny.
Well I think this is quite possibly the most fitting ending to a career I've ever read. Pure drivel, with large writing and pictures.
That's Jack Thompson's swan song.
Jack lost it didnt he?
Looking at that filing made me think of 2 things: a grade-schooler making some sort of collage for art class, and the episode of The Office (U.S.) where Michael speaks at Ryan's business school class and holds up different candy bars as "visual aids." I just can't decide whether that episode or this filing is funnier.
Also, Godwin calls shenanigans on his letter.
there is no reason this man to be practising law, someone call the mental hospital, their getting another resident.
However, the line, "Thompson has no problem with enduring a fair disciplinary process. He has not had it, and no Justice sitting on this High Court could rationally think fair this Ben Kuehne-led high-tech lynching of an uppity Christian" is in extremely poor taste since he has so eloquently equated a black judge to a lynch mob leader. Yes, no racial overtones there Mr. Thompson. Good show sir, a few more like this, and the Fed will investigate the Florida Bar if they don't pull your license.
I wonder if an excessive use of copyrighted images in a court filing is illegal...think of all the infringement in this filing alone. I know threadless had nothing to do with Mr. Thompson, and I'm pretty damn sure the image is excessive. Might be a lawsuit in it for some of the owners of those images.
Or "WTF" for that matter.
Jack, any problems you have with trying to get what you feel you are not getting from your wife elsewhere is none of the Florida Bar's business.
-M
The question is, does Jack's swan song sound more like a Funeral Dirge, or something along the lines of "They're coming to Take Me Away, Ha-HA!"
I'll bet on the latter. I think Jack might look good in a fresh white Straight Jacket.
For those wondering, Mr Dec was an American lawyer, who - after a long and spectacular breakdown, including repeated incoherent rambling letters to the courts - was disbarred and then went utterly insane, eventually becoming a demented recluse, distributing his gibbering diatribes to anyone who didn't run screaming.
Read about his exploits here.
http://www.bentoandstarchky.com/dec/intro.htm
Alternatively (and less amusingly) there's a wikipedia entry on the man here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_E._Dec
There are easy parallels to draw between Thompson and Dec. This has gone on for quite some time, but I didn't really think he'd go this far. An illustrated lunatic rant with Judge Tunis' mention accompanied by a picture of a kangaroo with a gavel? Great stuff.
Keep tuned, kids. The best part is yet to come. Once Thompson gets disbarred, if he continues down the road laid by Dec, then the real comedy is yet to come.
They're not. They're telling you you need to go through someone who's not a tantrum throwing child before you're allowed to file. It's no different than not allowing you to file without a docket fee...
Sheesh, play up the poor oppressed victim.
Briar Rabbit has jumped head first into the stew pot and he doesn't even know it.
lol *cries*
You. Have. Got. To. Be. Fucking. Kidding.
@Jabrwock
That's the misguided Christian fundie in feeling like its getting martyred
A lot of them of them seem to think they're being persecuted for their cause, when in reality it's because of their stupidity.
Also, parallels can be drawn to Joshua A. Norton. The self styled Emperor of the United States. He was dismissed as a harmless crank and even became something of a celebrity in San Francisco.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_A._Norton
(Those who play Phoenix Wright will understand)
then i start scrolling.
"WTF is up with the pictures?"
Is Mr. Thompson trying to make a comic book or something? or an old school Looney Toons skit?
Anyone know a proctologist who can take care of this asshole? Anyone?
I personally have three theories about this thing:
1. JT's arguments are legit, he's just stupid in the filing. He means every word he says. [If untrue, it's perjury]
2. JT knows he's lost the war against games and just wants to accelerate the process of getting canned. [Highly unlikely]
Now conspiracy theory time!
3. JT is actually pretending to be crazy either because, A) He wants to martyr himself for the next generation of game critics or B) He's a video game supporter coming out of the closet with the biggest hoax in World History.
That theory is completely impossible, but I needed to be the one to put on the JT Conspiracy Theory Hat (Patented).
Your conspiracy theory actual came to my mind when I was reading that legal document, I started thinking, ok, this can't be real, what if Jack Thompson is just an enormously elaborate ruse and we'll all find out April 1st that he's actually an actor hired by Penny Arcade for the purposes of hilarity.
[parody letter]
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
THE FLORIDA BAR,
Complainant,
v. Case Numbers SC 07 - 80 and 07- 354
JOHN B. THOMPSON,
Respondent.
RESPONDENT’S VERIFIED MOTION TO VACATE THIS COURT’S
TWO ORDERS ON THE BASIS OF THE FLORID BAR’S FRAUD
I'm rubber, you're glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you!
Also, Ben sucks!
JOHN B. THOMPSON, Attorney
Respondent
[/parody letter]
Actually, Jackie boy is so bad, he makes ol'Winston look like a BRILLIANT lawyer.
I just can't believe someone would actually do something like this.
In fact, his little "masterpiece" more resembles what some pimple-faced nerd in his mom's basement would post in a Dr. Who message board (again, no disrespect).
The difference is that a law degree and a so-called "serious" career choice is involved.
Jack, its time to throw in the towel and try to save what little face you have.
I'm not even that well-versed in Law and I can understand what he's doing wrong. If he had an actual reason, he could get out of this, but instead, he's making a complete ass of himself by filing these stupid little picture books.
Is this a veiled admission from him that all he's trying to do is waste the industry's money?
Somebody give this guy a handful of crayons and scrap paper, so he can let it allll out okay?
He did speak of suing them into oblivion, and in his mind that either means having all the owners and employees jailed and their properties seized and destroyed, or burying them in legal costs.
He likely believes that video games are still developed by nerdy kids, only then in his mind can this work.
He won't go away unless that last string of sanity actually does snap and he either is put into a harness in some mental hospital, or goes on some shooting spree of his own (thereafter blaming video games).
He uses song lyrics to explain how he is feeling. It’s like a teenager's AIM away message...only it’s a LEGAL DOCUMENT! The hilarity is too glorious for words (which I guess explains all the pictures).
I mean, REALLY shocked.
Its really real? Wow. Thats so... sad. Or lol-worthy. I'm not sure which. Damn. The FL Supreme Court is gunna beat JT like a he was a quadruple amputee playing swing ball.
What really jumped out at me was this line:
upon which hinge literally tens of millions of video game industry dollars
I realize some of the cases are still being addressed, but as far as I can recall, Jack Thompson hasn't managed to cost the video game industry any money. All those legislative cases, they get their legal fees back from the states, and I'm guessing there's something similar in place for the other cases. If anything, Jack Thompson has made money for Take Two by his unending promotion of Bully, GTA, and Manhunt.
Who else just can't get "Jack Quixote" out of their head when reading this? Can someone tell him the pen is only mightier than the sword when you're not writing on windmills?
Ironic, isn't it? Someone calls him a hack, he threatens to sue. He calls the entire Florida Supreme Court a bunch of half-wit lunatics who couldn't find their bums without a map from JT, and he's amazed that they're peeved?
I really hope they keep their cool, and just rake him over the coals for "conduct unbecoming a lawyer"...
Woo! that's rich. Man I pee'd in my pants a little when I read that line.
As you can tell my opinion of lawyers in general (depending on what type they are and their behavior) is pretty low. However, even for the scummiest of the scumbag lawyers JBT takes the top honors.
Was the image withheld by Thompson or someone editing the letter, I can't figure out which is funnier, Thompson making that lame joke in a legal document or actually enclosing a picture of feces
PS. Godwin's Law, page 10.
[imaged withheld]
Seriously, even better than the epic "2006 Person of the Year."
I would say that "smartass" is giving him too much credit. Dumbass seems much more appropriate.
I wonder if he has a prototype popup-book as a backup in case this one didn't get past the spam filters...
Just... Wow...
I dunno if I should laugh or continue to sit in utter amazement at how low JT has fallen.
But you gotta admit, he got style. The clerk reading these doesn't get to smile often, but I suspect there were peals of laughter brightening those drab offices on the day this one came in.
I'm almost going to miss the guy.
It looks like he just discovered Google Images and the copy and paste feature. Looks like our little JT is growing up and finding out all sorts of new things.
It reminds me of that old song "Burning Down the House".
It really is the best. The Kangaroos made it even more hilarious at how stupid JT is.
seriously where does the bar find them and why do they let them in the court room???!!!
Do you think that the gay picture issue can still play a part of this one? As in like it's part of his records that he's pulled a stunt like this before?
So that like the judges would see that and take that issue into consideratino with this one being the second time he's pulling inpropreate court document filings.
wow.
I'm going to go invent some new words...the English language simply can't cover this.
Unfortunately, the Florida Bar's the only one that and end our suffering and misery once and for all, though I haven't the faintest clue wtf is taking so long.
@Headspace Cools:
Which would just make him all the more irrelevant.
@Sidewinder:
I'm still convinced the two of them were college drinking buddies or something, hence the obviously skewed results.
@jds:
Yep. (sorry, but at this point what else is there to say? I think that sums it up quite nicely.)
@SithLibrarian:
I'm sure you were being sarcastic, but I get the impression there's actually nothing but pages upon pages of EPIC FAIL.
@BaronJuJu:
I just wish the FLABAR would hurry up and shoot his proverbial plane down, already.
@Ryno:
....... thread over.
@Anon:
You forgot the part where he still gets to keep his job throughout all of this.
But then I'd miss the big day of his disbarrment, damn I guess y