Court Demands Quackbusters Pay $491k - Two Pay,
One Doesn't ...
Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim
Bolen
Wednesday,
February 20th, 2008
Way back in the year 2001, when Quackbusters
Stephen
Barrett,
Terry
Polevoy, and their attorney Christopher Grell decided to
file their cockamamie lawsuit (Barrett v. Clark) in Oakland, CA Superior Court,
they brandished it on the internet as their crowning activity. Little did
they know, then, that it would NOT be just one more stumbling, bumbling,
fumbling, act, typical of their machinations.
In fact, this lawsuit would lead them to
laughable internet infamy, drawing the wrath of virtually every internet giant,
worldwide, in opposition to their goals. Nor did they deduce, then, that
filing a false claim in California, called a SLAPP suit, would gain them the
wrath of the California legislature. But it did.
Now, of course, after almost seven years of
litigation, they do know, and they found out the hard way. Now, of course,
as anyone knows, the piper needs to be paid, and the bill has been presented in
the form of a decision by the Oakland Superior Court ordering the threesome to
pay $434,000 US more than the $55,700 already collected, to just one of the
original Defendants,
Ilena Rosenthal and her attorneys.
More, they made internet history, for they took
their argument about Ilena Rosenthal, a side issue in the case, all the way to
the California Supreme Court - and lost, getting a Published
decision.
Couldn't happen to nicer guys. (insert rude
noise here)
Not long ago, two of these guys, Barrett and
Grell, paid their share of what the Court demanded. The other, Terry
Polevoy, did not - and for him the brutal collection process has
begun. With gusto.
And, the case is not over.
In one way I feel sorry for their attorney
Christopher Grell, for, in essence, the majority of the costs have fallen on
him. Because, not only did he have to come up with cash from his own
pocket for his part of the loss, but I don't think he ever collected a nickel
from his clients for his own fees. So, he's out double. He litigated
all of this at his own expense. I doubt that the two goofballs, Barrett
and Polevoy, ever paid him a dime. In fact, I'll bet they believe that
they were doing Grell a favor, allowing him to represent their exalted selves
for nothing. Wouldn't surprise me a bit.
Total Award (not including the original Superior Court $55,700 award
already paid)
Polevoy only - $311,980.47
Grell only - $22,860.74
Barrett only -$21,347.31
Barrett and Polevoy $29,982.58 (joint and
several)
Grell and Barrett - $1,494.93 Barrett (joint
and several)
Polevoy and Grell - $46,429.72 (joint and several)
Stay tuned...
Tim Bolen - Consumer
Advocate
