| ► Toledo Blade - 11/04/01 - Judge takes bite out of ex-Maumee man's judicial watchdog site |
 |
 |
|
Toledo Blade Judge takes bite out of ex-Maumee man's judicial watchdog site
By JAMES DREW Nov. 4, 2001 BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU CHIEF COLUMBUS - A California judge has shut down the web site of a former Toledo area resident who runs a one-man group called The Committee to Expose Dishonest and Incompetent Attorneys and Judges. Ruling in a lawsuit filed by former Santa Ana, Calif., attorney Ronald E. Lais, Judge Francisco Firmat of Orange County Superior Court prohibited self-described "judicial watchdog" David Palmer from publishing any information about Mr. Lais on his web site. The judge ordered that the web site, amoralethics.com, be "disassociated and disconnected from all Internet search engines, indexes, and providers." Mr. Palmer, a former Maumee resident who lives in Powell, Ohio, said the web site was shut down Monday. Mr. Lais said Mr. Palmer posted "false, misleading, disparaging statements" about his handling of a child support case in which he represented a Calfornia woman. "Mr. Palmer has chosen to trash me all over the Internet," Mr. Lais said. Mr. Palmer rejected the charge, saying what he wrote is protected by First Amendment rights. In Ohio, the Supreme Court's disciplinary counsel has accused Mr. Palmer of practicing law without a license by operating a web site that proclaims "now offering free legal advice." A final decision rests with the high court. State attorneys want the Supreme Court to require Mr. Palmer to remove material that was on his web site under headings that included: "The Truth About Free Legal Advice." Mr. Palmer said he posted information on his web site about the California Bar last year suspending Mr. Lais for two years after he was accused of pursuing a frivolous case, filing another case in bad faith, and failing to report a $10,000 sanction order. Mr. Lais resigned with other charges pending in March. He has a firm that provides "strategic and tactical input" to clients and attorneys involved in child custody and visitation issues. "How can I defame someone who doesn't have a [law] license?" Mr. Palmer said. Mr. Palmer yesterday said the firm that maintained his web site is based in California and he will try to find another one. Mr. Palmer also said he may take legal action in federal court, alleging an infringement on his First Amendment rights. Mr. Lais said those rights have a limit and the use of them are a "developing area of freedom of speech." |