Law & Disorder / Civilization & Discontents

Judge “came in like a tornado” at Prenda Law lawyers

Prenda lawyers show up, sort of, to a hearing that's all about their behavior.

Porn-trolling firm Prenda Law is getting dressed down in federal court today. Ars will have a more thorough update when our own reporter gets out of court, but some basics about what is happening are becoming clear based on early tweets.

Brett Gibbs, the former Prenda lawyer who was first told to show up and explain himself, is there. So too is his attorney, who has been "awfully quiet" according to Adam Steinbaugh. (Steinbaugh tweeted several observations during a break in the proceedings.) Gibbs has been distancing himself from the firm's actions recently; it's John Steele and Paul Hansmeier who are seen as the brains behind the operation.

Judge Otis Wright, who is overseeing the case, apparently "blasted" Hansmeier for giving such evasive answers during his deposition. Wright complained that Hansmeier "doesn't know anything about his own firm."

Steele and Hansmeier argued late on Friday that they should be allowed to skip out on the hearing. Today, neither has showed up in person but they apparently phoned it in, making themselves available to answer Wright's questions via telephone. Alan Cooper, the Minnesota man whose identity may have been stolen by Prenda, is in court.

Update: Steele and Hansmeier were represented by an attorney who said they could be available by phone if necessary, but Wright apparently did not pursue that option.

"[Judge Otis] Wright came in like a tornado," tweeted Steinbaugh. "Things do not look good for Prenda. At all."

Also present are defense lawyer Morgan Pietz and a lawyer from Verizon. Verizon submitted documents this morning indicating they released subscriber information improperly, because Prenda lawyers didn't notify them of a judge's order shutting down such discovery.

Again, Ars will have a more complete post later from our reporter on the scene. Phone and laptop use are not allowed inside the courtrooms in Los Angeles federal courts, so updates have been sporadic thus far.

Update 2: Our lengthy post on today's hearing is up.

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