Plaintiff Gets Nothing in $54M Case of Missing Pants

[northzax]

Source: Washington Post

Plaintiff Gets Nothing in $54M Case of Missing Pants
Ruling for Dry Cleaner May Spell Bigger Woes for D.C. Judge Roy Pearson

By Henri E. Cauvin and Debbi Wilgoren
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, June 25, 2007; 11:58 AM

The D.C. administrative law judge who sued his neighborhood dry cleaner for $54 million over a pair of lost pants found out this morning what he's going to get for all his troubles.

Nothing.

In a verdict that surprised no one, except perhaps the plaintiff himself, a D.C. Superior Court judge denied Roy Pearson the big payday he claimed was his due.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/25/AR2007062500443.html?hpid=topnews

[Richard Steele]

1. That's a good first step. Now, how do we get this asshat off the bench?

He very CLEARLY lacks the qualities necessary to be a Judge.

[northzax]

3. well, he is up for reappointment

to a ten year term. The head judge of his court (the administrative law court, handles disputes between people and the city) has recommended that he not be reappointed (A change from last winter when he recommended that he be reappointed)

it's sad, really. From everything I hear, Pearson is a brillant lawyer, was one of the best PDs DC had, and did a decent job on the bench, before all this simply took him off the rails. shame.

[napi21]

5. The dumb ass got greedy! As a judge, he knew better than to file such

a frivolous case!

[Kingshakabobo]

7. Sounds like he caught a case of "robe fever."

My PD friend described how some people turn in to complete assholes after they get their robe and all the power that comes with it.

[DFW]

18. The BIG question is

Were Scalia and Thomas assholes BEFORE they got their robes,
or as a result of having gotten their robes.

I believe in evolution, but even so, I suspect that both of
these guys were assholes before they were even law students.

[Kingshakabobo]

19. That's a WHOLE different class of mega-asshole. The Heritage/Federalist kind. n/t

[rayofreason]

13. So maybe...

...this lawsuit is just a symptom of mental illness? I often wonder about that. How many time do we hear an outrageous story where everyone says "What an asshole!" and the reality is that the protagonist is actually mentally ill and that the illness is the source of the outrageous act? If this is a case of someone who had been respected with a good career, who now has gone wacko, I feel sorry for the guy and for those who are close to him.

[northzax]

20. apparently

this case started as he was getting divorced, in an ugly divorce. so yes, I think there are some mental issues on the table.

[yardwork]

24. He turned down an offer to settle for $12,000

and burst into tears on the stand. He does sound like he has issues.

Also, he was unemployed before. It sounds like he's had issues for a while.

Until he landed the judgeship, Pearson had been out of work. Strapped for cash and running up close to his limit on his credit cards, he brought his pants in one or two at a time to avoid maxing out his credit.

[Richard Steele]

16. Well then, that may be the end to his career.

Sad to hear that he was considered a good judge
in the past, but there's just no way he should
be one anymore.

[catgirl]

21. It's a shame that the Changs had to suffer like this

That's the sad part. They should have pressed harrassment charges against this idiot.

[bmbmd]

22. Agreed.

Much the same as Nifong. Any barrister who uses the courts to feather his own nest or propagate his own agenda should be disbarred. My hope is that this phenomenon will become known as "Nifong-ing".

[Kagemusha]

4. Ah, post #3 clarifies. Thanks

I'm sorry he had a great legal rep before this, but he has been without question trying to destroy these people's lives, and indeed, the first time the case came to my attention, it was in the context of the matter threatening to drive these people out of the United States for life. At minumum he needs to be forced to pay for the defendants' legal expenses.

[uppityperson]

8. way. eom

[northzax]

2. for another take on the story...

check out Marc Fisher's Blog on the post...

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/rawfisher/

[havocmom]

6. Actually, he gets the bill for court costs

He should get a bill for all the time wasted too.

Anybody but me think he is a sock puppet for forces that want to pull more 'tort reform to stop frivolous law suits' but end up preventing real victims from seeking redress?

[aquart]

9. He does get the court costs? GOOD.

[northzax]

10. court costs are nothing

maybe a grand. the judge will rule later on legal fees.

[Posteritatis]

25. It's the slap-upside-the-head factor on that, I'd imagine. (nt)

[Kagemusha]

11. Based on that blog entry referred in reply #2...

The judge is going to decide about giving him the bill for the defendants' lawyer fees later. The judge is apparently being EXTREMELY cautious to not give any easy outs for an appeal.

My reading of the appeal issue: the plaintiff hopes to yet prevail by malicious bludgeoning, forcing the defendants to move back to Korea before their finances completely expire, even if an appeals court is inclined to rule in favor of the defendants based on the merits of the case.

That is about as evil as it gets for civil suits. Especially by a judge.

[Mike Daniels]

28. My understanding is these type of judges are appointed by the city

which given that DC city gov't is pretty Democratically controlled makes it highly unlikely that he's a sock puppet for anyone you have in mind.

[havocmom]

29. Perhaps you are correct. Let's wait & see who he becomes a lobbyist for

;) One might wonder that his days on the bench are numbered. And sell-outs to big corporate interests are not unheard of, nor do they maintain strict party lines, sadly.

Might be worthwhile to watch the employment of his close family circle too. That seems to be one of the ways people with influence seem to be rewarded if they carry enough water.

But, he may just be working from the craziness in his heart. Every profession has its share of unstable members too. That judge in the Anna Nicole clam-bake made the case that the judiciary is no different:)

[Deep13]

12. Gut feeling: court should have allowed a trial for $2000.

I understand that civil plaintiffs have a right to a trial when the facts are in doubt. Still, even with a verdict for the plaintiff, there is no way that damages could possible be more than a couple grand. One does not have the right to ask the jury for a ridiculous sum just because he is personally offended.

[northzax]

15. he was suing under the DC consumer protection laws

which allow for a daily penalty, plus accomodations until the matter is resolved. (of course, that is for serious cases of fraud, but that was a matter for the court to determine)

[gravity]

17. That wasn't good enough for him

From the article:

Along the way, he rejected offers to settle, first for $3,000 , then for $4,600 and finally for $12,000. A judge headed off Pearson's efforts to turn the case into a sort of sweeping class-action suit and tried to rein in his "excessive" demands for documents. But the judge found he could not simply dismiss the claim, and that meant Roy L. Pearson Jr. vs. Soo Chung et al. was going to trial.

That greedy bastard deserves to lose his job.

[Donnachaidh]

14. he's probably going to be sued to pay the Chong's legal fees as well

And considering how much crap these people had to take from this whiny crybaby - they should sue him for damages. Just for that *witness* who compared the situation to the holocaust!

He's toast. And he deserves to be sued.

[MaineDem]

27. I certainly hope so!

I don't know if it could have been done but he should have been ordered to pay the legal fees as part of the judge's terms.

In any case, he deserves to pay all the legal fees. This was as frivolous a suit (no pun intended) as I've ever seen.

[Xipe Totec]

23. Judge loses shirt over missing pants nt

[fasttense]

26. Oh I'm sure when Roy Pearson takes it to the dancing supremes

the nine black robed politicos will rule in Pearson's favor. The supremes would never rule against one of their own - you know half crazy and rich. Besides, Pearson can just bribe them. I know Roberts thinks his pay is too low and is looking for more money.

[Raine]

30. The defendents lives were ruined

it's a wonder the stress didn't kill them. It's a disgrace that this kind of thing can happen.