Posted on 06/13/2007 7:22:49 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Strange
Judge Suing Dry Cleaner Cries Over Pants
 (AP Photo/Dana Verkouteren) In this courtroom sketch, Judge Roy Pearson, left, who is suing Jin Nam Chung, seated at center right, and his wife Ki, seated 2nd right, for $54 million for what he calls "misleading signage" at their dry cleaning business, speaks at DC Superior Court in Washington, D.C. Tuesday, June 12, 2007. |
By LUBNA TAKRURI, The Associated Press
2007-06-12
22:01:36.0
Current rank: # 9,480 of 9,634
WASHINGTON - A judge who is suing a dry cleaner that lost his trousers for $54 million left the courtroom in tears Tuesday after saying he is acting in the interests of all District of Columbia residents against what he claims are poor business practices.
Administrative law judge Roy L. Pearson first sued Custom Cleaners over a pair of pants that went missing two years ago. He was seeking about $65 million under the D.C. consumer protection act and almost $2 million in common law claims.
The bulk of the original demand came from Pearson's strict interpretation of the city's consumer protection law, which imposes fines of $1,500 per violation, per day. Pearson counted 12 violations over 1,200 days, then multiplied that by three defendants. He also sought money to rent a car so that he could drive to another business.
Pearson is no longer seeking damages related to the lost pants and is now focusing his claims on two signs in the shop that have since been removed. He alleges that Jin Chung, Soo Chung and Ki Chung, the South Korean immigrant owners of the mom-and-pop business, committed fraud and misled consumers with signs that claimed "Satisfaction Guaranteed" and "Same Day Service."
In his opening statement at the civil trial Tuesday, Pearson said he wanted to examine the culture that allowed "a group of defendants to engage in bad business practices for five years."
An attorney representing the shop's owners, however, portrayed Pearson as a bitter man with financial troubles stemming from a recent divorce, who is taking out his anger on a hardworking family.
"This case is very simple. It's about one sign, and the plaintiff's outlandish interpretation," attorney Chris Manning said.
The Chungs were scheduled to present their case on Wednesday. Manning asked D.C. Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff to award the Chungs reimbursement for their legal costs if they win.
Pearson called several witnesses Tuesday who testified that they stopped going to Custom Cleaners after problems with misplaced clothes.
"I think they should have stood by what the signs said," said Betty Green, who testified that she brought in a white suit and was given a beige one when she came to pick it up.
Another customer, Rhonda Dorsey, said her blue sweater was lost, but was told she never brought it in.
Pearson, who is representing himself and called himself as a witness, said his problems with the cleaners began in May 2005 when he brought in several suits for alterations. A pair of pants from a blue and maroon suit was missing when he requested it two days later. He said Soo Chung tried to give him a pair of charcoal gray pants.
As Pearson explained that those weren't the pants for the suit, he choked up and left the courtroom with tears on his face after asking Bartnoff for a break.
Pearson originally asked the cleaners for the full price of the suit: more than $1,000. But because the Chungs insisted the pants had been found, they refused to pay.
Manning has said the cleaners made three settlement offers to Pearson, but the judge was not satisfied and increased his demands.
What a royal assclown.
Surely, this idiot can’t possible expect to be taken seriously again.
He will keep it up. He is nuts. No rational person would do
this. He should be removed from his Judicial position and the
legal profession.
He cried when talking about his lost pants?!
“Don’t cry for me, lost pantalones” was what he sang?
Somebody needs to take this guy outside and just beat his ass.
My knee-jerk reaction is that this "judge" is a anti-Korean racist pig. However, upon further reflection, I think if his pants are that precious to him, may I suggest an alternative to traditional dry cleaning?
What we need is a loser pay system!
We’ve got loser pays up here. It doesn’t discourage frivolous lawsuits as much as you’d think.
Every little bit helps, especially if this loser had to pay the dry cleaners $54 million for harassment. LOL!
Just a more civilized repeat of the Rodney King riots where the rioters targeted Korean businesses for particular abuse. They didn’t count on them being armed to the teeth. HooRAH!
Kick-to-the-top!
Ok That's gotta be a crime in itself
“Somebody needs to take this guy outside and just beat his ass.”
Sadly, that’s how I feel about it...
“dministrative law judge Roy L. Pearson first sued Custom Cleaners over a pair of pants”
This guy is rendering legal judgements. Incredible. Every verdict he has decided should be up for appeal. This insanity shows he is an utter fool. He should be committed.
And how much tax money is going for this “trial”?
And some say we can’t cut government spending....
No more than any other trial. I heard on the radio this morning that the plaintiff judge is also seeking his legal fees; he's been billing himself $400 or $500 an hour. As if $54 million weren't enough.
And like everyone else stated: how can this guy ever expect to be taken seriously again? He's insane.
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