Sunday, March 16, 2008

When a mere millionaire tangles with a huge corporation..

ROBERT LYONS: My brother Bob ran a chain of car dealerships in Wisconsin,
worth several million dollars on paper.
Let’s call the car-brand ‘Acme’.

Bob somehow mortally offended a big Acme honcho in Las Vegas. (It’s said Bob punched him—before he joined AA.) These honchos said they’d ruin him, and they did.

They even forged orders sending him cars that wouldn’t sell. His empire collapsed.
But they didn’t understand that some Irish are too dumb to give in. He sued them.

(By this time he’d joined AA. He got legal advice from some of the prominent lawyers and judges in that group.)

Acme bought the judge. The trial took the longest in Milwaukee history. (Justice delayed..is the tactic of big corporations.)Bob had 2 young lawyers;Acme had hundreds.

Even so, finally the jury brought in a verdict of 80 acts of wanton misconduct against Bob.
The judge reversed their verdict in one page. Bob had to sue to get his reasons, which were lifted right from the Acme brief.

Surprisingly, Bob had $ enough to finance an appeal. Ten years after the start of this affair, the Wisconsin Supreme Court found for Bob.
There’s a record of the decision which is a proud one to show to his grandchildren.

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