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.
I wonder how many frivolous lawsuits he judged in favor of?
From the small courtroom sketch, it appears the “judge” has a lot more in common with shakedown sharpton than frivolous lawsuits.
End of case.
Two Wongs will make it white....
It might be a good time for the court to order a psychiatric evaluation of this hysterical pantload.
As well as having lost touch with reality, Pearson is apparently immune to any hints suggesting he improve his taste in clothing.
The judge put the verdict off till next week. Why?
LOL. That’s the best question on this thread.
Would this be called a pants-suit?
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