Barrett-Jackson Lawsuit

[SSJunkie68-69]

Here's a pic of the Jude who should be handling this case....it would make Great TV on <font color="red"> </font> SPEED <font color="red"> </font>

http://www.metnews.com/articles/wapner.jpg

[Canuck]

I hope Johm Grisham follows this one and writes a book.

Its your legal system,and I have to ask,what does it take to become a probate judge? The same as it does to become a Johnny Cochrane?

In the BJ claim they say that the plaintiff has caused a drop in consignments in the PB auction. I see 595 cars registered. That is not too bad,although car #1 is a Pinto.
Are they blaming him for a drop in quantity or the fact that interesting cars arn't being consigned.

Anybody know if the Pinto has the factory fire extinguisher and original Firestone 500 radials?

[Les Quam]

The fact that the defendant is a probate judge is meaningless. He will have to hire an attorney the same as anyone else. The attorney who is hired by the judge will make the final decisions on how the case should be handled. Few if any attorney's will allow the client even a client who is an attorney to determine how to litigate the case.

In this particular case the client being a probate judge will have a legal background that will save the attorney time in explaining the law to his client. Lawyers do not give other lawyers a discount. In fact lawyers hate having other lawyers for a client. A Michigan state probate judge probably makes no more than 150K a year from that job. This judge may have other financial assets based on the money he had in the car (225K) and the house assuming it's his that the car is sitting in front of? If not he is no different in terms of financial resources from any other defendant earning 150K a year. Most lawyers who take the bench as a judge take a pay cut when they leave their practice.

The Federal judge in Arizona and an Arizona jury will give this judge's testimony no more weight than any other witness.

However believe it or not the judge may be indemnified by his homeowners insurance policy which in most cases indemnifies a homeowner even when he is sued in a case like this. I know mine does. I also carry an umbrella policy with my homeowners insurer for another 200 dollars a year which insures me for 1 million dollars in the event I am sued for anything. The first call this judge probably made was to his insurance company to see if they will represent him at no cost, and I think they will. If that doesn't pan out he would probably start calling friends and favors in order to get someone he trusts from Michigan to help him out. His least attractive option is to call an Arizona attorney he doesn't know and drop a retainer on him to defend this suit.

From a public relations standpoint I think BJ had no choice but to file suit to make some attempt to stop the bad press and fallout from the January auctions. Rather than file against a little guy with no resources where it appears to be a David V. Goliath, filing against a lawyer one of the professions with the worst reputations , who the general public hates and who also happens to be a judge is in my view a shrewd move. More importantly if BJ is successful against this judge who in the future will be tempted to take on BJ? If BJ can beat a judge at his own game who will be tempted to speak out against BJ or publiclly complain in the future? Not many is my opinion?

Finally if the consignment contract the judge signed does not ensure him of three minutes on the block I don't see how he files a counterclaim. Which is probably why he hasn't filed suit since January. He could have immediately filed in a Michigan federal court and had BJ come to Michigan to answer and had BJ try to change venue to Arizona. He elected not to file suit even though he thinks he was cheated or wronged out of 700K. Which tells me he decided he had little chance of being successful.

If the judge's insurance company picks up his defense he is OK? If not? It is a tough road for him I think?

[kwhizz]

Now.........What about some Opinions about the way he handled himself after the car came off the Block......Forget about the Lawsuit and focus on his actions........Opinions....
And how should B-J have responded to the Chaining??

Ken

[ssl78]

The difference this year at BJ from other years (and this is just here say, correct me if I am wrong} in previous years the seller could buy his car back this year they couldnt and didnt realize it. If that was the case I would be very upset also being able to buy your car back was at least expensive insurance. What if he did try to buy it back and then was told he couldnt I probably would have done the same at that time.
I have heard there are many people trying to pull thier car out of the Florida auction, maybe thats why BJ is trying to blame it on the Judge. It will be interesting to see if they can pull the cars out.

[Xplantdad]

[ QUOTE ]
Now.........What about some Opinions about the way he handled himself after the car came off the Block......Forget about the Lawsuit and focus on his actions........Opinions....
And how should B-J have responded to the Chaining??

Ken

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm thinking that the judge should have known better...though in the video it looks like the chains that he used were the cheap plastic ones...

I think that all in the world that is wrong today is the fault of Barrett Jackson &lt;&lt;&lt;(see the tongue in cheek emoticon)...well at least there are some people that are never happy.

As a really wise man once said..."It is what it is!"

The judge doesn't have a leg to stand on...

[quick-bowtie]

I think it is more than a Judge running his mouth that has gotten people to pull theyre cars.. Greed by Barrett is one of them, declining market is another.. who is going to bring a "GOOD" car to a NO RESERVE auction after seeing what happened in January?? The Scottsdale auction is hands down the most talked about car auction in the world! and to see that fall on its face I think scared alot of guys with good cars, that along with really no advertising of the Palm Beach auction and not listing the cars until last week really makes guys take notice. I was offered a Great saturday number for one of my cars but decided against it, with the black cloud around Barrett and the lack of advertising that is definately not a chance I will take. Until they bring back the reserve or lower there commisions I cant see them doing good. Of couse you will always have a few rich people that dont know any better paying to much for a couple of cars but I dont think it will be like in past years. Im going down in hopes of getting a few deals and spending so quality time with my little boy on the beach, Im sure 100's of other guys have the same idea. It looks like there might be a couple of decent cars but nothing to write home about.

[Xplantdad]

Andy...have fun...and good for you on the quality time!

[Charley Lillard]

Amazing....Because people didn't consistently get stupid money like in the past couple of years it fell on it's face ? I'm guessing for the most part, if you bought a car at market rate 3 years ago and sold it at this years Barrett-Jackson you made money. Yes they might bring back reserves but I applaud them for going no reserve. It worked. If you went there to buy a car you knew it was for sale. In years past you could go to a auction thinking you have a shot at a certain car only to find out the seller had a reserve that was much higher than it's worth.

[ANDY M]

Was the judge wearing that chain around his neck, cleverly disguised as bling?
This needs more than popcorn.
I humbly suggest a Celebrity Death Match!
Seriously, nobody wins in a lawsuit except the lawyers.