4 ms·

Did anyone read the part where he explains that he is not being represented by a lawyer? ("REQUEST FOR CIVIL LOCAL RULE 3-9(b) EXEMPTION AND RETIREMENT.") That

by jarrett 13y ago

Did anyone read the part where he explains that he is not being represented by a lawyer? ("REQUEST FOR CIVIL LOCAL RULE 3-9(b) EXEMPTION AND RETIREMENT.") That seems a very unusual decision indeed. Does anyone have any idea why he would do it that way? Is it probably a money issue?

dangrossman 13y ago
If the PR (making the tech community aware of the problems with CA's MTA laws, getting the VCs to stop ignoring it, and perhaps getting the legislature to reconsider how they treat startups that try to get licensed) is more important than the result of the suit, you wouldn't want to bankrupt yourself over the suit.
- jarrett 13y ago
  Yeah, that's kind of what I thought--a money issue. I have no idea whether Aaron Greenspan has money to burn on something like this. The fact that he was bringing suit on behalf of his computer company made me immediately imagine a monied plaintiff. But that could be a false assumption. I agree that the PR could be beneficial to the industry as a whole. Let's hope this doesn't mess up a bunch of legitimate businesses in the process.
wpietri 13y ago
Funny! After reading the first few pages, I said, "What lawyer is willing to put his name on this garbage?" and paged around in the document. Only to find no lawyer's name at the bottom, just his own. And now you confirm it. Is there some way that this isn't idiotic? I have seen a federal judge in full-on "this case is a waste of my time" mode, and it is fearsome. I would never file a document with a federal court without having a very experienced lawyer involved. Of course, I also wouldn't step to all of those rich and powerful people without a clear and sensible plan of action. If Greenspan has one, I can't extract it from this document. Is he a total loon?
- pjg 13y ago
  Have you looked at Aaron Greenspan's legal credentials ? He is (or atleast claims) a fellow of Stanford Law School. Has build a site for searching legal articles and in general spent considerable time researching this issue
  - wmf 13y ago
    But real lawyers know not to represent themselves. It's too easy to get emotionally wrapped up in the case and lose perspective.
    - hedgie 13y ago
      a friend dated someone who was a new lawyer and tried representing him/herself in a divorce. after crying on the stand it did not end well.
  - wpietri 13y ago
    I looked. I don't see him saying he has a JD. I don't see him saying he passed a bar exam. I especially don't see him saying he's a practicing lawyer. I have no idea what "fellow" means in this context, but he's not listed in the staff directory. "Spending considerable time researching the issue" is not sufficient for not looking like an ass when acting as a lawyer. There's a theoretical side to law, but it's mainly a practical art. Sort of like software. It would be hubris for somebody who has "spent considerable time researching software" to make his first coding project something big enough that it gets reported nationally.

by jarrett 13y ago

dangrossman 13y ago

If the PR (making the tech community aware of the problems with CA's MTA laws, getting the VCs to stop ignoring it, and perhaps getting the legislature to reconsider how they treat startups that try to get licensed) is more important than the result of the suit, you wouldn't want to bankrupt yourself over the suit.

jarrett 13y ago
Yeah, that's kind of what I thought--a money issue. I have no idea whether Aaron Greenspan has money to burn on something like this. The fact that he was bringing suit on behalf of his computer company made me immediately imagine a monied plaintiff. But that could be a false assumption. I agree that the PR could be beneficial to the industry as a whole. Let's hope this doesn't mess up a bunch of legitimate businesses in the process.

wpietri 13y ago

Funny! After reading the first few pages, I said, "What lawyer is willing to put his name on this garbage?" and paged around in the document. Only to find no lawyer's name at the bottom, just his own. And now you confirm it. Is there some way that this isn't idiotic? I have seen a federal judge in full-on "this case is a waste of my time" mode, and it is fearsome. I would never file a document with a federal court without having a very experienced lawyer involved. Of course, I also wouldn't step to all of those rich and powerful people without a clear and sensible plan of action. If Greenspan has one, I can't extract it from this document. Is he a total loon?

pjg 13y ago
Have you looked at Aaron Greenspan's legal credentials ? He is (or atleast claims) a fellow of Stanford Law School. Has build a site for searching legal articles and in general spent considerable time researching this issue
- wmf 13y ago
  But real lawyers know not to represent themselves. It's too easy to get emotionally wrapped up in the case and lose perspective.
  - hedgie 13y ago
    a friend dated someone who was a new lawyer and tried representing him/herself in a divorce. after crying on the stand it did not end well.
- wpietri 13y ago
  I looked. I don't see him saying he has a JD. I don't see him saying he passed a bar exam. I especially don't see him saying he's a practicing lawyer. I have no idea what "fellow" means in this context, but he's not listed in the staff directory. "Spending considerable time researching the issue" is not sufficient for not looking like an ass when acting as a lawyer. There's a theoretical side to law, but it's mainly a practical art. Sort of like software. It would be hubris for somebody who has "spent considerable time researching software" to make his first coding project something big enough that it gets reported nationally.