Have you guys heard of this ridiculous story? This judge from D.C. is suing his dry cleaners for $65 million over a lost pair of pants which were eventually found. I feel so bad for the dry cleaners - they're immigrants from South Korea who came to the U.S. for a better life. How awful of this to happen to them. I could understand if they wanted to pay him back for losing his pants and for the inconvience but $65 million? Let's be reasonable here! At least this ridiculous case probably won't hold up in court. And a judge of all people! He will not be respected in any court after all of this is allover. Can you guys tell I'm pre-law?
WASHINGTON - The Chungs,
immigrants from South Korea, realized their American dream when they
opened their dry-cleaning business seven years ago in the nation's
capital. For the past two years, however, they've been dealing with the
nightmare of litigation: a $65 million lawsuit over a pair of missing
pants.
Jin Nam Chung, Ki Chung and their son, Soo Chung, are so
disheartened that they're considering moving back to Seoul, said their
attorney, Chris Manning, who spoke on their behalf.
"They're out
a lot of money, but more importantly, incredibly disenchanted with the
system," Manning said. "This has destroyed their lives."
The
lawsuit was filed by a District of Columbia administrative hearings
judge, Roy Pearson, who has been representing himself in the case.
Pearson did not return phone calls and e-mails Wednesday from The Associated Press requesting comment.
According
to court documents, the problem began in May 2005 when Pearson became a
judge and brought several suits for alteration to Custom Cleaners in
Northeast Washington, a place he patronized regularly despite previous
disagreements with the Chungs. A pair of pants from one suit was not
ready when he requested it two days later, and was deemed to be missing.
Pearson asked the cleaners for the full price of the suit: more than $1,000.
But a week later, the Chungs said the pants had been found and refused to pay. That's when Pearson decided to sue.
Manning
said the cleaners made three settlement offers to Pearson. First they
offered $3,000, then $4,600, then $12,000. But Pearson wasn't satisfied
and expanded his calculations beyond one pair of pants.
Because
Pearson no longer wanted to use his neighborhood dry cleaner, part of
his lawsuit calls for $15,000 _ the price to rent a car every weekend
for 10 years to go to another business.
"He's somehow purporting that he has a constitutional right to a dry cleaner within four blocks of his apartment," Manning said.
But
the bulk of the $65 million comes from Pearson's strict interpretation
of D.C.'s consumer protection law, which fines violators $1,500 per
violation, per day. According to court papers, Pearson added up 12
violations over 1,200 days, and then multiplied that by three
defendants.
Much of Pearson's case rests on two signs that
Custom Cleaners once had on its walls: "Satisfaction Guaranteed" and
"Same Day Service."
Based on Pearson's dissatisfaction and the delay in getting back the pants, he claims the signs amount to fraud.
Pearson
has appointed himself to represent all customers affected by such
signs, though D.C. Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz, who will hear the
June 11 trial, has said that this is a case about one plaintiff, and
one pair of pants.
Sherman Joyce, president of the American Tort
Association, has written a letter to the group of men who will decide
this week whether to renew Pearson's 10-year appointment. Joyce is
asking them to reconsider.
Chief Administrative Judge Tyrone Butler had no comment regarding Pearson's reappointment.
The
association, which tries to police the kind of abusive lawsuits that
hurt small businesses, also has offered to buy Pearson the suit of his
choice.
And former National Labors Relations Board chief
administrative law judge Melvin Welles wrote to The Washington Post to
urge "any bar to which Mr. Pearson belongs to immediately disbar him
and the District to remove him from his position as an administrative
law judge."
"There has been a significant groundswell of support
for the Chungs," said Manning, adding that plans for a defense fund Web
site are in the works.
To the Chungs and their attorney, one of
the most frustrating aspects of the case is their claim that Pearson's
gray pants were found a week after Pearson dropped them off in 2005.
They've been hanging in Manning's office for more than a year.
Pearson claims in court documents that his pants had blue and red pinstripes.
"They match his inseam measurements. The ticket on the pants match his receipt," Manning said.
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I hadn't heard the whole story. Thanks for posting. 
That "judge" needs thearpy!!! And... :bash: ....along with a dash of.... :triciclekid: 
