Posted on 11/23/2004 3:22:54 PM PST by Dan from Michigan
Michigan discipline board dismisses misconduct charge against Fieger
11/23/2004, 12:46 p.m. ET
The Associated Press
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The state Attorney Discipline Board has dismissed a charge of professional misconduct filed against Geoffrey Fieger, ruling that punishing his "crude" out-of-court remarks about appeals court judges violates his First Amendment right to free speech.
The board voted 5-3 to throw out a complaint lodged against Fieger by the Attorney Grievance Commission. The opinion was published Nov. 8.
The charge stems from comments Fieger made while hosting a radio show on Southfield-based WXYT-AM in 1999.
He "declared war" on Michigan Court of Appeals Judges Richard Bandstra, Michael Talbot and Jane Markey and called them an obscenity, the board said. He also likened them to Nazis.
Responding to a suggestion by a co-host that the court's opinion reversing a judgment for Fieger's client could be described as innuendo, Fieger said: "I know the only thing that's in their `endo' should be a large, you know, plunger about the size of, you know, my fist."
Fieger pleaded no contest to the charge and agreed to a public reprimand with the condition that he could appeal on constitutional grounds, said John Van Bolt, executive director for the discipline board.
The board concluded that the First Amendment protects attorneys from being disciplined for stating their opinion outside the context of a pending legal proceeding.
"We must not let (Fieger's) revolting language stir our passions and warp our interpretation of the rules," the majority wrote.
It vacated the reprimand and dismissed the formal complaint.
The majority, however, scolded Fieger for making "base, vile, destructive ... and quite ineffective" comments.
The dissent said the state has an interest in preserving public confidence in the judiciary by requiring civil and respectful treatment of judges.
Fieger has previously been the subject of Attorney Grievance Commission complaints over comments about other judges and one former prosecutor.
Fieger, a one-time Democratic gubernatorial candidate, has represented high-profile clients like assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian.
He's a nut, isn't he? And now he's representing some fans from that basketball game. Seeing the clip made me miss hockey. :(
He makes a lot of sense on Greta's show.
Of course he is along with being a millionaire high profile ambulance chaser who no longer has to pass out his business card. He is also a substantiated spouse abuser and the son of a labor lawyer which really doesn't have much to do about anything other than let you know where his loyalties lie.......
Did I mention that he is also a self-serving honkey poverty pimp?
Look up the Epitomy of Self Serving Slimeball Tort Attorneys in Websters dictionary and you will see his picture.......The slug is nothing more than an all bluster, all show hack who has the ability to convince a jury of absolute morons that his client was the intentional victiim of whatever claim they are suing the high profile, deep pocketbook corporation of.
Great news. Let Fieger be the talking head for the RATS. With each passing day, the RATS are becoming like the Michael Moore Fan Club.
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