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Take Two Files Suit Against Jack Thompson

Posted by Zonk on from the just-wow dept.

Bullied writes "Take Two has tired of Jack Thompson's frivolous lawsuits and has filed a federal lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida to prevent him from filing any more 'nuisance' lawsuits. 'Take Two argues that the lawsuits violate its First Amendment rights to free expression, but it also claims that the suits are so vague as to be unconstitutional. "This unconstitutional vagueness will have a chilling effect on Plaintiff as well as Plaintiff's customers," says the company. "Plaintiff's distributors likely will respond to the uncertainty and fear of penalties by withholding Plaintiff's video games from the public."' Take Two also cites the disruptive effect Thompson's suits have on its retail partners."

33 of 99 comments (clear)

  1. What took so long? by Vengeance · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And why is it that Jack Thompson can walk down the street without everyone pointing and laughing?

    --
    It was a joke! When you give me that look it was a joke.
    1. Re:What took so long? by Apocalypse111 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Um, have you seen JT's litigation record?

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      There is no mod option "-1: Disagree" for a reason. "Overrated" is not an acceptable substitute. Post something instead.
    2. Re:What took so long? by flyingsquid · · Score: 5, Funny

      I don't get it. Why doesn't Take Two just run him over with a stolen car?

    3. Re:What took so long? by The+PS3+Will+Fail · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "Seriously, there are a lot of people in this world that need to die."
      I'm not so sure dictating who "needs" to die is very good for your karma.

    4. Re:What took so long? by Gordonjcp · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Because, Jack Thompson is thinking of the children and baby jebus.

      No he's not, he's thinking of his own ego. I can safely say that he doesn't represent *real* Christians.

    5. Re:What took so long? by Clever7Devil · · Score: 3, Interesting

      His litigation record is laughable, but have you seen his correspondence?

      Some of the published letters between Jack and members of the gaming community are purely ridiculous.

      I'm sure someone has linked Penny-Arcade already, but have you read this one?

      http://www.grumpygamer.biz/index.php/2006/09/23/ja ck_thompson_thinks_he_s_jesus/

      --
      "By the time they had diminished from 50 to 8, the other dwarves began to suspect 'Hungry.'" -Gary Larson
    6. Re:What took so long? by Vengeance · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Obsession? I never realized I was obsessed with this topic. Hell, I've never even played any of the games Thompson has gone after. Frankly I don't give a rat's ass if a copy of Bully is ever sold, or if Take Two goes under... I keep my money elsewhere. Just so long as it's market-driven, and not the result of excess litigation. Thompson is but one symptom of a system that's been twisted terribly out of rational shape.

      But this jackass comes up here every few months associated with some new attempt to litigate things out of existence. I think it's our duty as citizens, particularly if we have children, to try and pass them a world with SOME degree of personal freedom. A lot has been lost in this country, and complacency and apathy will have to shoulder a large part of the blame.

      When they came for the gamers, I said nothing, because I was not a gamer.

      --
      It was a joke! When you give me that look it was a joke.
    7. Re:What took so long? by kris_golden · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Ummm...except for the fact they believe in Christ...

  2. Thank god by bradsenff · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I am happy as hell that someone finally had enough of a *real* case to smack him back.

    He filed so many crap cases, and got away with it, it is high time the tables are turned!

    -bs

  3. Can anyone fill in legal details? by benfinkel · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What are the outcome options here? Would T2's success in this suit stop JT's current lawsuits completely? Would he be able to re-file them after the games came out? Can you be liable in Civil or Criminal Court for excessive frivolous lawsuits?

    1. Re:Can anyone fill in legal details? by tomstdenis · · Score: 5, Informative

      You can get disbarred for filing falsified court documents. As for being a pain in the ass, aside from contempt I don't think so.

      In this case though Take Two is looking to enjoin him from filing lawsuits over two specific games on the basis that his previous lawsuits have all been without merit. Frankly, the guy is an assclown. He has had zero effect on the sales of the games and is making enemies all over the world. He should be proud.

      Tom

      --
      Someday, I'll have a real sig.
    2. Re:Can anyone fill in legal details? by benfinkel · · Score: 2, Funny

      Falsified court documents? I didn't read anything about that, although it would seem to be well within Jack's MO. I get the funny feeling he'll file suits in other states if he gets shut down here. There's something that doesn't seem to work quite right in his brain. He's like a super-villain from a cartoon...

    3. Re:Can anyone fill in legal details? by tomstdenis · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I didn't mean to say he did, I just think he's about 1 step away from doing that. He's so desperate for attention and to be "right" that I think he'll make the leap [if he hasn't already] soon enough. And yeah, I agree about the super-villain comment.

      It's funny when people like him wonder why others object to being told what they should and should not consume (media, food, whateverwise). I don't think he's clued in that just because he doesn't like something doesn't mean it should be illegal.

      Oh well. Dude hasn't accomplished anything with his life, why start now?

      Tom

      --
      Someday, I'll have a real sig.
    4. Re:Can anyone fill in legal details? by jimstapleton · · Score: 3, Insightful

      He has had zero effect on the sales of the games


      Funny, I don't quite think that's accurate.

      If he starts bitching about a game, I know people who will rush out to buy it.

      If ever said a game is good, they would rush to put it on their "not even on a very cold day in hell" list.
      --
      34486853790
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    5. Re:Can anyone fill in legal details? by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Then they should add a "Jack Thompson Seal of Disapproval" to the packages to boost sales.

      (Hopefully the makers of Thompson's Water Seal will have a sense of humor over it.)

      --
      Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
  4. Re:Can they win? by tomstdenis · · Score: 3, Informative

    Likely the injunction seeks to prevent a type of lawsuit from being presented (re: the baseless kind). I imagine if Take Two broke into his home he could legally sue then.

    But, I should point out that even though [for example] you have the right of free association, that can be stripped (re: prison, restraining order, etc).

    So as punishment for filing baseless lawsuits, I can see a judge ordering that Thompson leave Take Two the fark alone.

    Tom

    --
    Someday, I'll have a real sig.
  5. Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I hope he knows a good lawyer!

  6. We can only hope by EvilGoodGuy · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I really do hope Take Two can find a case here, I know I've been angered more than once by his rediculous opinions, and it would be nice to finally shut him up.

    They should just pull a Viacom though, and ask for $1,000,000,000 in compensation.

    1. Re:We can only hope by stratjakt · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I know I've been angered more than once by his rediculous opinions, and it would be nice to finally shut him up.

      Yeah. I wish all the people I disagree with would shut the fuck up. It ought to be illegal to hold different views from the majority. People shouldn't be free to speak whatever they want.

      The guy should be held accountable for frivolous lawsuits, but he has the right to say whatever he wants. To sue him squawking about "free speech", with the intention of "shutting him up", is way beyond hypocritical - almost lawyerish.

      --
      I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
    2. Re:We can only hope by CelticWhisper · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The problem is that in this case, upholding it is actually doing it a disservice as he attempts to stage his ideological attacks against it.

      If I were to stand on a soapbox in town square and proclaim that video games are immoral and anti-christian and the spawn of the devil and blah blah blah, the alternate-universe me sitting here and reading /. would agree with you that I'm just exercising my right to free speech.

      However, if I were to stand on a soapbox and say all these things about videogames being bad and blah blah blah and so let's ban them, that would be a slightly different story, as where do you draw the line between my right to free speech and/or expression and that of the video game creators? It's kind of a variant of the adage that "your right to swing your fist ends where my face begins." My right to game-bashing ends where the rights of the creators begin. Same with Thompson.

      Still, kudos to you for keeping perspective and realizing that yes, there is some greater good in being offended. We need more folks like you who are actually able to grow thicker skin and realize that life entails being offended sometimes.

      --
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    3. Re:We can only hope by abb3w · · Score: 2, Insightful

      They should just pull a Viacom though, and ask for $1,000,000,000 in compensation.

      Kinda hard to do with a straight face, given that they're trying to convince a judge that his lawsuits are frivolous— the word "Chutzpah" springs to mind.

      There's no hope of them getting a billion bucks out of him, even if he not only goes bankrupt but shishishorupf . I'd settle for disbarring and a federal injunction, since they might have a hope of actually getting that. Tar and feathers would be a classic touch, but more honor than Thompson deserves.

      --
      //Information does not want to be free; it wants to breed.
    4. Re:We can only hope by geminidomino · · Score: 2, Funny

      If someone decided that shooting lawyers was their way to "speak out" against lawyers, is that free speech? Oh gods, PLEASE say yes!
  7. Re:Can they win? by Dorceon · · Score: 5, Informative

    The term you're looking for is Barratry.

    --
    What sound do people on rollercoasters make? Hint: it's not Xbox 360.
  8. gtaIV by mastershake_phd · · Score: 5, Funny

    They should make Jack Thompson a character in GTA IV. Maybe a child rapist you must beat to death with the limbs of dead hookers.

    --
    Libertarian Leaning Political Discussion Forum.
    1. Re:gtaIV by phorm · · Score: 3, Interesting

      That might be pushing it a bit, but how about making a lawyer-type character with a penchant for chasing ambulances?

      Maybe a side-quest could be to steal an ambulance and make it to "target X" before the lawyer manages to catch up to you, or perhaps to reach X ambulances and/or eliminate the lawyer before he reaches them.

  9. Re:Can they win? by voice_of_all_reason · · Score: 3, Funny

    Barraty? Is that the legal concept of walking into court with a machinegun mounted on your arm and calls the judge "spikey-head?"

  10. Re:Can they win? by nuzak · · Score: 3, Informative

    > Is it even possible to be disallowed from filing lawsuits.

    Partly -- google for "Vexatious Litigant". Florida passed such a law to amend their rules civil procedure in 2000. http://www.ccfj.net/VexLitbill.htm

    This is a federal lawsuit though, and I'm not actually aware of any federal rules on vexatious litigation -- in fact, federal court is usually where such people go to keep filing their suits.

    --
    Done with slashdot, done with nerds, getting a life.
  11. Re:Can they win? by Dunbal · · Score: 2, Funny

    Along with 'spamming'.

          What spam? There's a law against spam now - there has been for a while. You can't be receiving SPAM... it's illeagul.

          (Yes, spelling nazis, it was done on porpoise).

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  12. Re:Run Thompson over? by p0tat03 · · Score: 3, Funny

    GOURANGA!

  13. Weird Al Yankovic - I'll Sue Ya by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I sued Taco Bell, 'cause I ate half a million Chalupas and I got fat!
    I sued Panasonic: they never said I shouldn't use their microwave to dry off my cat.
    Huh, I sued Earthlink, 'cause I called them up n' they had the nerve to put me on hold.
    I sued Starbucks 'cause I spilled a Frappucino in my lap and brrr, it was cold!

    I sued Toys'R'Us 'cause I swallowed a Nerf ball and nearly choked to death.
    Ugh, I sued PetCo 'cause I ate a bag of kitty litter and now I got bad breath!
    I sued Coca-Cola, yo, 'cause I put my finger down in a bottle and it got stuck!
    I sued Delta Airlines 'cause they sold me a ticket to New Jersey, I went there, and it sucked!

    I sued Duracell: they never told me not to shove that double-A right up my nose.
    I sued Home Depot 'cause they sold me a hammer which they knew I might drop on my toes.
    I sued Dell Computers 'cause I took a bath with my laptop, now it doesn't work.
    I sued Fruit of the Loom 'cause when I wear their tightie-whities on my head I look like a jerk!

    I sued Verizon 'cause I get all depressed any time my cell phone is roaming.
    I sued Colorado 'cause you know, I think it looks a little bit too much like Wyoming.
    I sued Neiman Marcus 'cause they put up their Christmas decorations way out of season.
    I sued Ben Affleck.
    ...
    Aw, do I even need a reason?
    --
    Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
  14. Re:Talk Show by Devir · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Better yet, just have him as a sit in guest on the in game talk radio show. It would be an embarassing parody.

  15. Re:Can they win? by plover · · Score: 2, Informative
    Thompson better tread more lightly. According to Dante, he's bound for the eighth circle of Hell with the other barrators. (Consider that murderers and sodomizers only descend as far as the seventh circle!)

    According to Wikipedia:

    Bolgia 5: Corrupt politicians (barrators) are immersed in a lake of boiling pitch, guarded by devils, the Malebranche ("Evil Claws"). Their leader, Malacoda ("Evil Tail"), assigns a troop to escort Virgil and Dante to the next bridge. The troop hook and torment Ciampolo, who identifies some Italian grafters and then tricks the Malebranche in order to escape back into the pitch. (Cantos XXI through XXIII)

    --
    John
  16. Re:Why is he still practicing law? by MMaestro · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Harassment, improper behavior, mis-representation as an officer of the court. All serious grounds for a lawyer, especially since hes been doing this YEARS. He's already been reprimanded by the Florida Bar Association and a judge for his behavior in court. Sooner or later, hes gonna push his luck too far and a judge will either throw him out of court (effectively ending his career since no one wants a lawyer who can't keep his cool) or he'll lose his license as a lawyer. If senators can't get legislation passed against "violent" video games, Jack Thompson is simply going to be destroyed by the courts when push comes to shove.