GEORGE WASHINGTON STATED

Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples' liberty teeth.



First Inaugural Address of George Washington...April 30, 1789

The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.

The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Abraham Lincoln said:

"In this age, and in this country, public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it nothing can suceed. Whoever molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes, or pronounces judicial decisions."

James Madison Declared

The adversaries of the Constitution seem to have lost sight of the PEOPLE altogether in their reasonings on this subject; and to have viewed these different establishments not only as mutual rivals and enemies, but as uncontrolled by any common superior in their efforts to usurp the authorities of each other. These gentlemen must be reminded of their error. They must be told that the ULTIMATE AUTHORITY, wherever the derivative may be found, RESIDES IN THE PEOPLE ALONE. (Federalist Papers, No. 46, p.294; emphasis added.)

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Malicious Prosecution

While surfing the Internet in doing a little research on my previous blog The "Finger" I came upon some interesting material related to malicious prosecution.

Malicious prosecution is a common law intentional tort (lawsuit), while like the tort of abuse of process, its elements include (1) intentionally (and maliciously) instituting and pursuing (or causing to be instituted or pursued) a legal action (civil or criminal) that is (2) brought without probable cause and (3) dismissed in favor of the victim of the malicious prosecution.

In a malicious prosecution lawsuit the former defendant (respondent) is now the plaintiff and the defendant/s may be the person/s who initiated the action, the attorney/s (or the law firm who prosecuted said action) and those who contributed or assisted in giving authorization or the use of public funds to proceed in the prolonged prosecution of said action against the, now plaintiff. The plaintiff has a right to a jury trial of his peers.

The elements of a malicious prosecution care are
  1. that the defendant filed and/or prosecuted the underlying civil action;
  2. a favorable termination of the prior case;
  3. the absence of probable cause, meaning that no reasonable attorney would have considered it to be tenable;
  4. malice, which can be implied from a conscious disregard for the consequences, from a lack of probable cause and from inadequate investigation and research, and
  5. damages

Since the re-litigation of the former action will be prohibited, the favorable termination of that case is the starting point of the malicious prosecution case. Therefore, before the plaintiff's first witness is called, plaintiff should offer, as Exhibit "1" , the judgment in the underlying action. If a statement of decision was made, that document should also be offered.

2 comments:

Gus said...

What a wealth of information. I understand that one of the lawyers involved in Greg's case may have told him that, if his case was dropped, then he couldn't sue. Ha! Sure he can. Was Greg harmed? Of course he was!

I heard a newscaster this morning say that Greg was "pretending to point his finger like a gun". I called the newscaster immediately, and he changed the wording in his next news report.

Gus said...

This is great information for the "little" guy who is being beaten up by "the system." Many people feel helpless and that they don't have any recourse against those in power. I say they do!