I hear Team Goatherder is trying, via listserv, to solicit representation for a redo of the SPEECH Act case Trout Point Lodge, Charles Leary and Vaughn Perret recently lost to me in a precedent setting decision. I guess it is time I solve a mystery for all the national law bloggers that wrote about the case.
The court ruled the way it did on the default because we agreed to try the case on cross motion for summary judgment, which you lawyers know means there could be no dispute of material facts. So I took a mulligan and stipulated to all the crazy stuff Trout Point Lodge, Leary and Perret said in their nonsensical complaint, including being the sole author of all the posts and comments made to the blog, something they absolutely knew to be untrue when they plead it since they had been previously conducting a witch hunt against Slabbed for Aaron Broussard in their Louisiana Media SLAPP suit for 5 months previous. That is the tip of the iceberg.
A plain read of the SPEECH Act indicates I am entitled to have their defamation allegations heard right here on the Gulf Coast, in full and this time there won’t be any stipulations on a cross MSJ.
I’d like to note that for there to be a message out there on a listserv implies that Jones Walker is out of the SPEECH Act business. If you are going to be in the first amendment law sector one should be choosy about which clients one takes on. Slabbed will take this as a sign that internal controls over client acceptance at Jones Walker are improving.
Finally, should a licensed Mississippi attorney take on this case know you are getting in bed with sleazebags that sue state court judges to force recusals and worse. Your hourly rates should reflect that fact. Gidget charged upwards of $500/hour for her services and her bachelor party package was reportedly second to none but she was honest about what she was. Professionals, be it CPAs or lawyers, that take any warm body that has a few $$$$$ could stand to learn that lesson.
Res judicata cum maxima sanctio