Quarterley

The Associated Press
Updated: 3:03 p.m. ET Jan. 12, 2005

Tell a lawyer joke, go to jail?

Pair arrested outside Long Island courthouse

MEPSTEAD, N.Y. - Did you hear the one about the two guys arrested for telling lawyer jokes?

It happened this week to the founders of a group called Americans for Legal Reform, who were waiting in line to get into a Long Island courthouse.

“How do you tell when a lawyer is lying?” Harvey Kash reportedly asked Carl Lanzisera.

“His lips are moving,” they said in unison.

While some waiting to get into the courthouse giggled, a lawyer farther up the line Monday was not laughing.

He told them to pipe down, and when they did not, the lawyer reported the pair to court personnel, who charged them with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.

“They just can’t take it,” Kash said of lawyers in general. “This violates our First Amendment rights.”

Dan Bagnuola, a spokesman for the Nassau County courts, said the men were “being abusive and they were causing a disturbance.” He said he did not have the name of the lawyer who complained.

Americans for Legal Reform monitors the courts and uses confrontational tactics to push for greater access for the public. The pair said that for years they have stood outside courthouses on Long Island and mocked lawyers.

On Monday, however, Kash said he was due in court to answer a drunken driving charge from a year and a half ago. The men are due back in court on the disorderly conduct charge next month.

Link

Lesson: Never piss off a lawyer.

Ambular

Oh, God, get over it Don't lawyers ever laugh at a blonde/black/Polish/priest joke a few times in their lives?

- annuscka -

Allright, first I have to ask - what IS it about all these people referring to the amendments as soon as anythinhg is discussed? I get it's the constitution, but HEY. The constitution was hardly written to protect your right to tell lamess jokes.

Just, don't overuse it. I assume the first amendment is the right to free speech - well, speak all you want but no one will listen to you when it's about something serious if you're crying breaking the constitution every five minutes.

Well. This is an idiotic case, on both parts, IMO. The guy should have better sense than to tell a lawyer's joke, which also was very lame, in front of a courthouse of all places - I mean, where is it as likely you'll run into a lawyer? If you have to tell this joke, why don't do it on the street, at a bar, at home, in a park, over the phone - whatever. But since it's obviously possible it could offend a lawyer, maybe you shouldn't tell it where it's 90% likely you'll meet one? You wouldn't tell some black joke in a black neighbourhood either, or ridicule Christians in a chruch?!

This whole case just reeks of the little man being disturbed by well-educated people who afterall are there to save your life (lawyers, doctors...).

Also, the lawyer does need to get a sense of humour. That's just power abuse and what makes the little guy hate you. Couldn't he just have told the idiot off?

Eh. Get a new hobby, maybe...?

Ambular

I didn't even notice it was in front of a courthouse

Yeah, you're right, the guy's an idiot too. I wouldn't defend him, because he was obviously looking for trouble (or at least, didn't think things through enough). Both are silly .

mh67511

It's stupid they were arrested but...you have the right to free speech and you have the right to deal with the consequences when you piss people off.

I hate it that people can talk sh|t about you, claim free speech, and when you turn around and knock them out you can charged with something. Can you claim VERBAL assault?

- annuscka -

Exactly. And then there is that little thing called "public decency" as well...

WalkingOnSunshine

Those jokes never hurt anyone since most of them are pretty stupid anyway. My dad has heard them all and laughs them off. You gotta go with the flow.

However...

For years? Mocking lawyers at a courthouse for years - come on now that is excessive. Maybe they deserved it. Or karma? Who knows.

TheAngel

Can't wait to see them try to find a lawyer for the trial. That could be quite an exercise in frustration. It's pretty funny actually and I agree that these men are foolish, especially doing that in front of a courthouse and they've been doing that for a while. Stupid people amuse me, and it's even more fun to watch them get into trouble.

alli balli

Standing outside a courthouse telling lawyer jokes every day...what a good use of your time.

sum1

They could try finding some jokes that are actually funny and not just plain self satisfied stupid.

LittleMilkJug

Ridiculous

roswellain_chick16

In our library at work we have these sort of jokes all over the notice board, nobody ever has a problem with them, infact they are there to amuse - especially when you are having one of those days

Seems ridiculous that these guys cant find something better to do with their time though - such a waste

WalkingOnSunshine

A bit of an update on a long lost story - long lost for good reason too.

Anyway...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...s/lawyer_jokes

pacifierrocks

If this guy is spending most of his time in front of the courthouse mocking lawyers then i say that he needs to get a life. But that doesn't mean that he should get arrested for making jokes about lawyers. this whole thing is stupid.

Galaxia21