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Support the dry cleaners!

By Michelle Malkin  •  July 10, 2007 02:41 PM

Last month, as you may recall, that nutty judge who sued his dry cleaner for $54 million over misplaced pants lost his case. But the story ain’t over for the poor dry cleaners. The business owners, Jin and Soo Chung, have exhausted their savings accounts staving off the frivolous lawsuit–and they’ve been saddled with more than $100,000 in legal expenses.

The Washington Post’s Marc Fisher reports that the unhinged judge still won’t let go:

He’s baaaa-ack: Roy Pearson, the D.C. administrative law judge who filed, fought and lost a $54 million lawsuit against the Korean immigrants who own his neighborhood dry cleaners, chose the Fourth of July holiday to make it clear that he will not be going away.

Despite a clear finding by D.C. Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff that Pearson’s case against Custom Cleaners had no merit and that the cleaners’ possible misplacing of a pair of Pearson’s pants was not worth a penny to the plaintiff, Pearson is back. He wrote to defense lawyer Christopher Manning this week to let the Chung family know that Pearson plans to file today a motion arguing that Bartnoff failed to address Pearson’s legal claims and asking the judge to reverse her verdict in the case.

Manning, who has said that the Chungs have already been wiped out financially by the need to defend themselves against Pearson’s two-year legal jihad, responded to Pearson by asking that he end the misery for the Chungs, who face legal bills of more than $100,000. Manning asked Pearson to consider moving on, for the Chungs’ sake and for his own.

But Pearson was unimpressed and responded to Manning that he will continue to fight in the best interests of all Washington residents.

In order to help the Chungs defray their legal bills, the Institute for Legal Reform and the American Tort Reform Association are co-hosting a fundraiser on Tuesday, July 24 in Washington, DC. People can still support the Chungs even if they can’t attend the event. Find out more here.

There’s also a defense fund here.

Posted in: Worthy Causes

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Comments

  1. #1
    On July 10th, 2007 at 2:53 pm, THIRDWAVEDAVE said:

    Thanks, Michelle, for helping them. My check’s on the way.

  2. #2
    On July 10th, 2007 at 2:59 pm, suek said:

    Can they sue _him_ for the costs they’ve incurred?

  3. #3
    On July 10th, 2007 at 3:03 pm, ajmontana said:

    I feel for them but I wouldnt even have hired a lawyer in this case and just told the judge to shove it up his ass.

  4. #4
    On July 10th, 2007 at 3:19 pm, palani said:

    How did Pearson even become a judge? Was it a D.C. thing or what? Not only should he not be reappointed, he should be disbarred. One of the biggest problems with our legal system is the abundance of self-righteous attorneys who abuse the very law they are sworn to serve.

  5. #5
    On July 10th, 2007 at 3:20 pm, Nicki said:

    Why didn’t the loser have to pay the court costs?

  6. #6
    On July 10th, 2007 at 3:22 pm, Lee said:

    Not only should these people not owe anyone a penny, but in a just world Pearson should be paying them some sort of alimony in perpetuity…

  7. #7
    On July 10th, 2007 at 3:22 pm, Schweggie said:

    To borrow from Jim Rome’s show:

    Someone please make the world a better place and punch Roy Pearson in the face.

  8. #8
    On July 10th, 2007 at 3:24 pm, Mr_Conservative_Cat said:

    Okay, we need to put our money where our mouth is (mouths are?). We talk alot about helping our fellows as an alternative to big Government nanny-control, and here’s where we can make another example. In fact, let’s make a real statement - let’s make ‘em rich! - and make sure the world knows this is being pushed by “neo-conservatives”. I’m 100% serious.

    Count me in for a fat donation.

  9. #9
    On July 10th, 2007 at 3:28 pm, Schweggie said:

    On July 10th, 2007 at 3:24 pm, Mr_Conservative_Cat

    Amen to that.

  10. #10
    On July 10th, 2007 at 3:31 pm, Lurker said:

    I just donated what I can spare this month. :) I hope it helps!

  11. #11
    On July 10th, 2007 at 3:36 pm, PHenry said:

    As I understand this, there is still a civil suit to recover the legal costs for the Chungs.
    I want to support them, but if they win their counter suit and their costs are paid, what happens with the fund raiser money?

  12. #12
    On July 10th, 2007 at 3:41 pm, PHenry said:

    Is this Michelle’s first ever public support of Asians?

    Freedomemarie, that is an ignorant and borderline racist insinuation.
    Just because Michelle dares to think for herself rather than blindly follow the Democrat ordained allowable minority line of thought, you insinuate she is a self hating asian?
    Your handle has the word freedom in it. What about freedom of thought? Or should minorities shut up and thank their benefactors (you, I presume) for what they are ‘given’?
    What next, ping pong ball comments?
    Grow up.

  13. #13
    On July 10th, 2007 at 3:44 pm, Schweggie said:

    bloggers and myspacers, take note of the banner ads they have. Nicely done. I’m blasting this link out as far and as wide as I can.

  14. #14
    On July 10th, 2007 at 4:02 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    I’ve just donated. This Judge is a complete disgrace. My suggestion - he needs to go without pants as long as the lawsuit continues.

  15. #15
    On July 10th, 2007 at 4:07 pm, Al in St. Lou said:

    It’s my understanding that defendants can counter sue for their legal costs, but it won’t help them if nutty Roy Pearson doesn’t have any seizable assets.

    Does anyone know whether the presiding judge dismissed the suit as frivolous? I think that might help with a counter-suit. When a suit is thrown out as frivolous, I believe it’s a black mark on the plaintiff’s attorney’s record. IMHO, judges don’t dismiss enough suits as frivolous. Of course, if they did, we’d need fewer attorneys—and fewer judges! AFAICT, the best tort reform would be to add the British rule that the loser has to pay the legal costs of both sides.

  16. #16
    On July 10th, 2007 at 4:14 pm, FireDrake said:

    Let us hope that the people of DC do not reappoint him.

  17. #17
    On July 10th, 2007 at 4:27 pm, Al in St. Lou said:

    The people of DC have nothing to do with him. Administrative law judges are bureaucrats apparently employed by each cabinet-level department. They probably have to have law degrees. Here’s the first part of the Department of Labor’s administrative law judges’ office’s mission statement:

    Administrative law judges from the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Administrative Law Judges preside over formal hearings concerning many labor-related matters. The office’s mission is to render fair and equitable decisions under the governing law and the facts of each case.

    I really don’t like how there’s too much vertical space at the beginning of a quote and not enough at the end, btw.

  18. #18
    On July 10th, 2007 at 4:45 pm, Cowboy said:

    thanks pissed, I just emailed the scumbag.

  19. #19
    On July 10th, 2007 at 4:54 pm, aarondelay said:

    Someone needs to kill comment 20…personal information and addresses are not way to combat something like this.

  20. #20
    On July 10th, 2007 at 5:02 pm, Lincoln said:

    I’m guessing Pearson’s intention is really to bankrupt the Chungs, not actually win any lawsuit.

    I hate lawyers, and to think I was planning to become one myself. Thank God He smacked some sense into me. :-D

  21. #21
    On July 10th, 2007 at 5:20 pm, deedledee said:

    It broke my heart when I first heard a couple of weeks ago that they were so ashamed they were thinking of leaving the country. They have nothing to be ashamed of. This effort could restore their faith in the goodness of average people.

  22. #22
    On July 10th, 2007 at 5:27 pm, walterc said:

    In reading the decision it looked to me like the judge awarded them costs since the suit was ruled frivolous. So all the Chungs really need to do is file a lein aginst his assets and start seizing.

    What kind of car does he drive?

    Sounds to me like their lawyer isn’t doing his job. But I could be wrong, 100k doesn’t seem to buy as much lawyering as it used to.

    On the other hand, this appeal thing my have put the whole thing on hold. . .typical lawyer trick to postpone judgment.

  23. #23
    On July 10th, 2007 at 5:29 pm, walterc said:

    Oh, and my check’s on the way. I hope if there is left overs, that the Chungs create a legal fund for dry cleaners sued by unscrupulous lawyers.

  24. #24
    On July 10th, 2007 at 5:49 pm, theroc5156 said:

    This type of thing warrants a physical response to this scumbag!!

  25. #25
    On July 10th, 2007 at 5:49 pm, DaleC said:

    They were awarded court costs not attorney fees . I do not understand how they cannot sue to recover these fees if the lawsuit was frivolous .
    BTW Michelle is not asian she is American.

  26. #26
    On July 10th, 2007 at 5:51 pm, Lurker said:

    Now now, don’t harass the guy. We want to help the Chungs, and threatening the lawyer could backfire in that effort. Let’s just give the Chungs what we can and put our faith in the system.

  27. #27
    On July 10th, 2007 at 6:27 pm, puhiawa said:

    so far I am not impressed with the Judges of Washington.

  28. #28
    On July 10th, 2007 at 6:29 pm, serfer62 said:

    Ahhhh, another Black reaches the level-playing-field via the EERo programn.

  29. #29
    On July 10th, 2007 at 6:38 pm, josetheguerilla said:

    Thanks MM, moneys on the way.

  30. #30
    On July 10th, 2007 at 7:03 pm, Ralph Gizzip said:

    What part of “No tickee, no washee!” did Mr. Pearson not understand?

    (Stereotypical humor? Yeah. What’s your point?)

  31. #31
    On July 10th, 2007 at 9:07 pm, Russ said:

    It’s guys like Pearson that make it clear why people are so willing to pull out of context the old Shakespeare quote, ‘The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.’

    If I were a lawyer, I’d be ashamed to share my profession with Pearson or anyone like him. And to think that Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer….

  32. #32
    On July 10th, 2007 at 11:15 pm, Pat said:

    I hate to ask, but are they legal immigrants?

  33. #33
    On July 10th, 2007 at 11:36 pm, PBoilermaker said:

    On July 10th, 2007 at 5:02 pm, Lincoln said:
    I’m guessing Pearson’s intention is really to bankrupt the Chungs, not actually win any lawsuit.

    That or he has a perverse need for attention. I agree, though, that he seems to be out to give them payback for his inconvenience.

  34. #34
    On July 11th, 2007 at 7:42 am, gregorystephens said:

    Maybe there’s another angle to this story that hasn’t really been looked at. Suppose the dry cleaners in this case were black and the plaintiff was white. Everyone would be screaming “racism”. Perhaps he just really dislikes Korean immigrants. Does the fact that he’s a person of color himself make him above reproach? It just seems to me that this case is very maliscious. Being a judge himself, he has to know that he has no prayer of getting that kind of payoff. Therefore, the motive has to be something else.

  35. #35
    On July 11th, 2007 at 10:46 am, LuxEternam said:

    This case is a glowing example of why our court system is badly in need of reform. This case would have never seen the light of day if our court system had a “loser pays” provision, as you will find in a number of European countries. It would end frivolous lawsuits overnight, and would see to it that only case with substance would make it to court. Granted, it would put several million lawyers out of business over night………oh, wait, I said that like it was a bad thing….fewer lawyers = more justice.

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