Judicial Watchdog Website Ordered Taken Down by Judge

Regional News
Judge takes bite out of ex-Maumee man’s judicial watchdog site

By JAMES DREW
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."

J.A.I.L. News Journal
____________________________________________________
Los Angeles, California November 4, 2001

On February 12, 2000 J.A.I.L. was first contacted by a David Palmer who wrote, "It doesn't surprise me in the least that judges are in the forefront of assisting dishonest attorneys in raping the estates of persons in probate court with the acquiescence of the unethical judges.

In fact, probate court is a fertile ground for lawyers to unjustly enrich themselves and of course they have a fellow lawyer who just happens to be wearing a black robe, however, when appropriate some judges are more than happy to wear white robes.

I am now involved in exposing a bunch of crooked retired judges here in Ohio that are engaged in double and/or triple dipping, which means they are billing two counties for one day's work or less on the same day while collecting retirement benefits.

This means that they are earning about $1200 per day, which is three times what a full time elected judge earns. In addition, some of these retired judges are billing two counties for lodging and meals on the same day.

Unless science has been elevated to the point where it can now clone dishonest judges, it would be impossible for someone to be in two places at one time.

On the 15th of March I testified before the Ohio House on this matter and it appears that the law will be changed to outlaw this type of crooked behavior. In addition, the Columbus Dispatch newspaper wrote two stories about my efforts on the 15th and 16th of March and it appears that they will be doing some follow up stories shortly.

When I get done with the crooked retired judges in Ohio, I intend to go after the rest of them in Michigan, Texas, California and any other state that allows them to return to the bench without the voters consent and then engage in outright fraud.

David Palmer, Executive Director, Committee to Expose Dishonest and
Incompetent Attorneys and Judges, Columbus, Ohio "

Then on September 2, 2001 David Palmer, of Ohio wrote, "I would be happy to join with your group in an effort to take the "Legal Industry" and "Judicial Aristocracy" down a notch or two." and with that, David Palmer joined Ohio JAIL4Judges under Don Jaynes, our Ohio JAILer-In-Chief.

Just two days ago, David Palmer wrote National J.A.I.L., sending us the below story, with a preface, "I will be filing a federal action here in Columbus, Ohio early next week. What's next, an order prohibiting speech re: Osama Bin Lauden?" Here is the published story about David Palmer.

[above]

Judicial Watchdog Website Ordered Down by Judge

Background