Jack Thompson is facing permanent disbarment, again

Geek Speak

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By Ryan Burns

Jack Thompson. You know him. You love to hate him. You wish he would just go away. The judicial branch of the government apparently agrees. After last year's decision to permanently disbar Thompson in the state of Florida, the infamous anti-video game lawyer faces the same fate yet again. This time, it is on a federal level. If disbarred, Thompson will be forbidden from practicing law in federal court indefinitely.

According to GamePolitics.com, Chief Judge Federico Moreno of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida has given Thompson a court order demanding that he defend his right to practice federal law. The order, issued June 26 of this year, gave Thompson 30 days to file an argument as to "why the imposition of the identical discipline [like the disbarment from Florida] would be unwarranted and the reasons therefore."

The short version is that Thompson must now give the court good reason not to kick him out of federal courts for the rest of his life. The court order was received with Thompson's usual flair. In an e-mail sent July 2 from Thompson to Moreno, which was CC'd to GamePolitics, Thompson demanded copies of any communications concerning Thompson between the Southern District Court and the Florida bar.

"I make this request/demand because of your prior improper placement of me on a terrorists watch list in retaliation for my sending you a letter about judicial misconduct on your watch."

The "terrorist watch list" is a reference to an incident last year when two U.S. Marshals stopped by Thompson's home in order to, according to Thompson, "intimidate and harass" him. Apparently they did so while being "very professional and courteous" in their dealings with him.

The reason that actually prompted the U.S. Marshals' appearance was Thompson's letter to Moreno that read:

"We find yesterday that enemy combatants at Guantanamo are to get more due process from federal judges than what I am to have. I guess my 'mistake' was not killing 3,000 people to make my point ..."

In the July 2 e-mail, Thompson complained about the cost of producing the documents required for his defense.

"Now you have entered a show cause order demanding that I explain why you should not disbar me from the federal court, and in doing so you have told me to spend at least $30,000 to make my case in producing documents, all of which the Florida Supreme Court has and [can] give you free of charge ..."

"If I get sent to Gitmo as a 'terrorist,' then please send the stuff there. I'll be facing Tallahassee in prayer several times a day as required."

Ah, Wacko Jacko, the more you try, the more insane you look. At least you have not lost that distinctly Don Quixote touch of yours. Perhaps you will rant silently, with no legal impact, before long.

Originally Published: Issue 809 - July 15, 2009

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