Mr., and I use the term loosely, Jack Thompson has been facing misconduct charges from his antics in fighting the evils of video games in several jurisdictions for quite some time.
The judge presiding over the hearings that took place last fall has issued a preliminary report on her findings. She is recommending the Florida Supreme Court find Jack Thompson guilty of 27 out of 31 misconduct charges, incl.:
- Knowingly making a false statement of material fact or law to a tribunal
- Knowingly disobeying an obligation under the rules of a tribunal
- Communicating the merits of the case with a judge before whom the proceeding is pending
- Using means that have no purpose other than to embarrass, delay or burden a third person
- Engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation
- Engaging in conduct in connection with the practice of law that is prejudicial to the administration of justice, including to knowingly or through callous indifference disparage or humiliate litigants or other lawyers
- Making statements that the lawyer knows to be false or with reckless disregard as to the truth or falsity concerning the qualifications or integrity of a judge
I don’t really see any room to wiggle here. The charges sound serious enough to warrant disbarment.
The final ruling by the Florida Supreme Court is due out later in the year.
-TPP
