{"id":4457,"date":"2006-03-27T13:36:17","date_gmt":"2006-03-27T17:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2006\/03\/27\/supreme-court-rejects-pit-bul"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:54:03","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:54:03","slug":"supreme-court-rejects-pit-bull-appeal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2006\/03\/27\/supreme-court-rejects-pit-bull-appeal\/","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court rejects PIT-BULL appeal"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

As <\/FONT>we feared<\/FONT><\/A> would happen, the U.S. Supreme Court <\/FONT>denied certiorari<\/EM><\/FONT><\/A> today ,<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
in the case of Pape, John R. et al v. Florida Bar<\/FONT><\/EM>, (#05-1046, 547 U.S. ___, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
March 27, 2006), ending the fight of the St. Lauderdale law firm Pape & Chandler<\/FONT><\/A> <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
to use the head of a Pit-Bull in its logo, along with the phone number 1-800-<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
PIT-BULL, in its marketing.  The firm specializes <\/FONT>in motorcycle accident cases.  <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
(see <\/FONT>Reuters<\/FONT><\/A>, “Court rejects lawyers’ appeal over pit bull ads,” Mar 27, 2006)<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
                                \"pitBullLogo\"<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
We‘ve been covering this case <\/FONT>since<\/FONT><\/A> May 2004. You can find our discussion <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
here<\/FONT><\/A> <\/FONT>of the opinion<\/A> of the Florida Supreme Court.  The Court held:<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n

\n

\n

\n
“These devices, which invoke the breed of dog known as the pit bull, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
demean all lawyers and thereby <\/FONT>harm both the legal profession and <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
the public’s trust and confidence <\/FONT>in our system of justice.”<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/DIV>
\n
On March 19, we posted<\/A> the new <\/FONT><\/FONT>pit-bull-less masthead of Pape & Chandler — <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
the drawing had served as P&C’s <\/FONT>ampersand.  We asked whether lawyers now <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
feel <\/FONT>more dignified and the public has <\/FONT>more respect for the profession and the <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
justice <\/FONT>system.  <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
The highly persuasive legal, practical and policy arguments <\/FONT>of John Pape and Marc <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Chandler, which had been <\/FONT>accepted<\/FONT><\/A> by the Bar referee <\/FONT>and presented to the High <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Court by <\/FONT>Rodney A. Smolla<\/FONT><\/A> (Univ. Richmond Law Dean), will <\/FONT>not be heard. That’s <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
despite our very modest efforts, along with Prof. McGowan at Legal Ethics Forum<\/FONT><\/A><\/EM>, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
and postings by Salon<\/EM>‘s <\/FONT>Robert Crook<\/FONT><\/A>, Carolyn Elefant at <\/FONT><\/FONT>MyShingle<\/FONT><\/EM><\/A>, <\/FONT><\/FONT>Mary Whisner<\/FONT> <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
at <\/FONT>Trial Ad Notes<\/EM> asks<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/A>, and many others — plus the recent <\/FONT>advocacy of James J. <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Kilpatrick<\/FONT><\/A>, and numerous editorials (<\/FONT>including<\/FONT><\/A> the St. Peters<\/EM><\/FONT>burg <\/EM><\/FONT>Times<\/EM>).<\/FONT> <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT> <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/EM><\/FONT><\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
“P&C”  Click here<\/FONT><\/A> to see one of P&C’s offending pit bull ads.<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
The question we asked when we <\/FONT>reported<\/FONT><\/A> <\/FONT>that Dean Smolla would be seeking <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
certiorari will not be answered for the time being:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n

\n

\n

\n
Would the Court conclude that pious notions of <\/FONT>“dignity” only make <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
the legal profession look silly and are inadequate <\/FONT>reasons for limiting <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
commercial speech and First Amendment rights <\/FONT>of lawyers and <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
consumers?<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/DIV><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n
I’m afraid the professional Dignity Police have too many allies on the Supreme <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Court bench — or maybe, consumers and the First Amendment have too few.   <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Treating the public like fools and acting pompously self-important <\/FONT>(and above <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
mere commerce) is not<\/EM> the <\/FONT>way to win respect for the legal profession.<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n

\n
“tinyredcheck” As we have been reporting the past two years (see <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
here<\/FONT><\/A> and <\/FONT>here<\/FONT><\/A>, for example), in the name of dignity and<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
consumer protection, the organized bar is trying to make <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
it harder and harder to advertise legal services.  Letting the <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Pape & Chandler<\/EM> decision stand will surely encourage more <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
of this shameful activity.  Those of us who care about the 1st <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Amendment and consumer choice need to speak up and act, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
before it is too late.  (E.g., <\/EM>Central New York Business Journal<\/EM><\/FONT><\/A>, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
“State Bar Association tackles attorney advertising practices,” <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
March 18, 2006; NYSBA Press Release<\/FONT><\/A>, State Bar Association <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Calls for Stricter Lawyer Advertising Rules in New York, Feb. 1,<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
2006)<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n
afterthought<\/FONT><\/STRONG> (6 PM, March 27): “lawyer ads: the tension between ethics and self-interest<\/FONT><\/A>“<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
was just posted, discussing a thoughtful article by South Dakota law professor Jonathan <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Van Patten, “<\/FONT>Lawyer Advertising and Professional Ethics<\/FONT><\/EM><\/A>, from <\/FONT>Perspectives on the <\/EM><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Professions<\/EM>, Vol. 19, No. 2, Spring 2000.<\/FONT><\/FONT>               <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
update<\/FONT><\/STRONG><\/EM> (11 PM, March 27): On a related matter, see “<\/FONT>dignity\/schmignity:<\/FONT><\/A> wordless <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
italian with Nino Scalia.”<\/FONT>                                                <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n

\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n
lightning flash–
only the dog’s face
is innocent<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n

\n
     Kobayashi Issa<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/A><\/DIV>
\n
       translated by <\/FONT>David G. Lanoue<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/A><\/DIV><\/DIV><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
“pitbullgone”<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
 <\/DIV>
\n
 <\/DIV>
\n

\n

\n
country graveyard<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
a dog burying <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
a bone<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n

\n

\n

\n
nobody on the street<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
stray dog stops to bite<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
its wagging tail<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n
At the edge of the precipice      I become logical<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
Spring morning    gravedigger whistling<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
 <\/DIV>
\n
 
\n
George Swede<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/A> <\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
\n
from <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/SPAN>Almost<\/EM> Unseen<\/EM><\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/A><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/SPAN><\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
                                                Georgetown U.’s mascot Jack<\/FONT><\/EM>  “GUJACKMUGG”  <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/SPAN><\/FONT> <\/DIV><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n
 <\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/FONT><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As we feared would happen, the U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari today , in the case of Pape, John R. et al v. Florida Bar, (#05-1046, 547 U.S. ___, March 27, 2006), ending the fight of the St. Lauderdale law firm Pape & Chandler to use the head of a Pit-Bull in its logo, along with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2926],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pre-06-2006"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6kP1R-19T","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4457","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4457"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4457\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12714,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4457\/revisions\/12714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4457"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4457"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4457"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}