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Referee Recommends Disbarment For Jack Thompson

Posted by timothy on from the disbar-is-such-a-harsh-word dept.

spielermacher writes "GamePolitics is reporting that Jack Thompson — the lawyer every gamer loves to hate — has apparently lost his court case and is facing disbarment. The Referee in the case has gone beyond the Florida Bar's request for a 10-year disbarment and is recommending a lifetime ban. From the Final Report issued by the court: '... the Respondent has demonstrated a pattern of conduct to strike out harshly, extensively, repeatedly and willfully to simply try to bring as much difficulty, distraction and anguish to those he considers in opposition to his causes. He does not proceed within the guidelines of appropriate professional behavior ...' All I can say is that it's about time."

6 of 280 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Thank Goodness by elemnt14 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Does this mean he can appeal to a higher court to try to get it turned around? Thats not a pleasing thought.

  2. Soon, Jack Thompson for Senetor/representative by nicolas.kassis · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Don't think it's the last time we see this guy lobbying for the elimination of xyz. Just a little bump in the road.

  3. Re:so what by thermian · · Score: 3, Interesting

    People stopped listening to him a long time ago.

    Ah no, there you're wrong. Never underestimate the entertainment value of a nutbar in vocal mode.

    What they've done is stop taking him seriously. I'm a long way from being tired hearing about him.

    In my opinion, one of the best treatments of his obviously deranged state is that done by de-rez http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/de-rez/55-Jack-Thompson-The-Movie

    Serious coffee on keyboard time.

    --
    A learning experience is one of those things that say, 'You know that thing you just did? Don't do that.' - D. Adams
  4. Re:Good riddance to bad advocate by Todd+Knarr · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It may be a reasonable position, but is it a correct one? So far nobody's been able to come up with any hard numbers agreeing with it. All the results are either "no correlation" or "kids who play violent video games are slightly less likely to be violent than average".

    The position that if you're standing in the airlock of the ISS and give a good shove off, sending yourself flying away from the station and towards Earth, you'll burn up in the atmosphere is also a reasonable one. It just happens not to be correct. One orbit later you'll find yourself bumping off the ISS again. Common sense might say one thing, but orbital mechanics says another. I suspect the same thing's at work: common sense might say that violent games should beget violent acts, but reality and psychology don't work the way common sense says they should. Nothing new there, lots of things that're true violate common sense.

  5. Who will replace him? by idiot900 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Penny Arcade made a very good point a few years ago, when Thompson was threatening them:

    We are actually fortunate that the current actor is so impotent in his role. Imagine what might happen if some charming, efficacious attorney took his place. The more I consider it the more I think we may be lucky to have Jack playing the part of the alarmist. The alternative might be someone who is actually capable.

    Now that it is even more obvious that Thompson is a nutcase, who is going to take his place? Someone competent in that role? That is a scary thought.

  6. IANAL by EdIII · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This seems to be in Florida only.

    If he is disbarred there, can he pass the bar in another state?