It looks like a minor setback for him right now, but Tommy Garrett is quickly re-writing his resume to indicate that he graduated at the top of his class with a JD from Yale before acing the bar exam in each of the lower 48 states.* Harvard Law School doesn’t scare him! He can print out a piece of paper saying he’s licensed to practice law, too!

*this was before he was best friends with Jimmy Carter but after he personally stormed ashore at Incheon in the same boat with Gen. Douglas MacArthur, for those of you keeping track at home

Posted by Sam on 30 January 02009 @ 9am

I’m just happy to have learned a new word: “Fabulist.”

Posted by Tim McCormack on 30 January 02009 @ 1pm

Blame the bloggers

“strategic lawsuits against public participation”

Posted by Bubby on 30 January 02009 @ 8pm

AKA “SLAPP suits.” They’re just wretched. I don’t know anything about this matter other than what’s in the Times’ article, but it sounds just like your standard SLAPP suit. I’d love to see them barred in Virginia. Though I can’t envision what that legislation would look like, enough other places in the U.S. have done so that there should be plenty of examples available.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 30 January 02009 @ 8pm

There seems to be something of an industry in builder suits. Interesting. In any event, I’d be skeptical of any law purporting to bar SLAPP suits – one man’s SLAPP is another man’s standing up for his rights (or something like that). In any event, I sure would like to see Rule 11 sanctions against the worst of these (Rule 11 sanctions the *attorney* whole file improper or frivolous suits).

Posted by MB on 30 January 02009 @ 9pm

I know someone who beat Barbara Streisand when she filed a SLAPP lawsuit against him.

See http://www.californiacoastline.org/streisand/lawsuit.html

(An image of the check for $155,000+ she had to pay him for his legal fees is about halfway down the page.)

Posted by Jeff Uphoff on 30 January 02009 @ 10pm

Oh, brother. I just read your subpoena. How excessive. How invasive. He’s got no more right to the IP addresses of everyone who ever viewed your article than the FBI has a right to review the library circulation history of any book, no matter how inflammatory, unless they’ve got a criminal warrant. Good thing you’ve hooked up with CMLP. I can’t wait to see your Motion to Quash. You have my sympathy and solidarity.

Posted by Kathleen Seidel on 30 January 02009 @ 10pm

Thanks, Kathleen! I followed your case closely at the time, and it’s been my inspiration for the past two weeks. :)

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 30 January 02009 @ 11pm

That’s a hoot, Jeff. :)

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 30 January 02009 @ 11pm