Jack Thompson Storms Out of Disbarment Hearing

Jack Thompson mostly known for his fight to keep mature rated video games out of the hands of under-aged children.

Jack Thompson has never been known for being quiet and soft-spoken. He has never been known for holding his tongue and has never been accused of not speaking his mind. And it looks like he has done it again. In the 11th Judicial Circuit Court for the state of Florida, Mr. Thompson stormed out of his own disbarment hearing held on Thursday June 5th, and so the hearing proceeded without him.

The final outcome of the disbarment hearing was that Florida attorney Jack Thompson may no longer be a Florida attorney. Judge Dava Tunis issued a recommendation an enhanced disbarment. Her recommendation will do to the Florida Supreme Court and are due to be heard by September 2nd, and if sustained, Mr. Thompson would not be allowed to practice law nor even apply for the Bar in the state of Florida again for ten years.

Prior to walking out of the courtroom, Thompson filed a formal objection to the sanctions, or what he called "Thompson's Formal Objection to June 4 Sanctions Hearing". The document is a 14-page objection in which Thompson objects to Judge Tunis' suitability to hear Thompson's disbarment case.

In the document Thompson further characterizes Judge Tunis as incompetent and arrogant. Thompson also threatens to have her removed from office in the days and weeks ahead. The "objection" often goes into what can only be termed as legal ramblings but in it Thompson goes on to refer to members of the Florida Bar as fascists.

Jack Thompson mostly known for his fight to keep mature rated video games out of the hands of under-aged children. Where many in the business have attempted to do so through education, Thompson has fought using legal means such as suing retail chains such as Best Buy for selling games to under-aged children.

During an interview with GameSHOUT, Mr. Thompson stated that he sent his son, who is under 17 and looks that way, into his local Best Buy to purchase Rockstar and Take-Two's Bully: Scholarship Edition. Thompson stated that they did not even question him about his age and simply sold him the game. Thompson stated that it was his intent to sue Rockstar Games, Take-Two Interactive, and Best Buy, and especially the lady with all the piercings that sold his son the game.

This latest 14-page rambling objection again focuses back to some of Thompson's favorite targets; Howard Stern and Grand Theft Auto IV. Though we have no opinion about Mr. Stern, we did find Mr. Thompson's comments about GTA IV interesting. He stated that he was glad to see that he was on the same page with Senators Clinton and Obama about Grand Theft Auto and that they understand the dangers of the series of video games. Thompson went on to say "because I took on this cop-killing, woman-bashing video game, the Presidential race is now addressing the issue and this particular video game."

Well time will only tell if the conclusion of the disbarment hearing will be sustained. Thompson's theory that Judge Tunis has an invalid loyalty oath may well be reviewed by the Florida Bar and Supreme Court and it may have some affect on the disbarment hearing, however unlikely. But if the Florida Supreme Court does in fact sustain the lower court recommendation, Jack Thompson can always apply to the Bar of another state. There are afterall 49 other states.