BREAKING NEWS: Matt Dowd just called into LA City News to report he, Michael Hunt and their expensive attorney have just left the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasedena, CA.
Dowd reports that the panel of three Appeals judges, "tore the City Attorney's office a new a**hole and there's blood all over the courtroom floor!"
SUMMARY: Michael Hunt had a lawsuit from 2004 in which a jury awarded close to $500,000 in damages and attorney fees since he was sent to jail over an "vague" ordinance. However (and I'm only gonna be partially precise in the explanation, for now...will clarify later), but Hunt/Dowd ALSO have a 2006 lawsuit, in which they were not able to file for damages, because the judge never made a ruling on the applied portion (due to a summary judgment that allowed the judge to not have to rule against the city on portions of the 1st Amendment lawsuit at Venice Beach.)
HOWEVER, now I am told by Dowd, based on what is expected to come in the way of a ruling from the 9th Circuit today (a radio interview with Matt Dowd by Zuma Dogg explaining it all, coming up later today) -- the floodgates will open for Hunt, Dowd & Dogg regarding a cornucopia of 1st Amendment violations by the shady municipality.
LOWBALL ESTIMATE ON DAMAGES FOR HUNT/DOWD/DOGG, ALONE (not including the other Venice performers)...$10 million, $20 million...they sent people to jail MULTIPLE TIMES...ZD diagnosed "permanently disabled" -- Judge Pregersen noting that even a ONE TIME violation of 1st Amendment Rights may be considered irreparable damage...and the list goes on. TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND METER IS STILL TICKING....the city doesn't want to stop the meter...and Hunt/Dowd/Dogg sure as hell do have it in their best financial interests for it to keep ticking, too.
FINALLY a win-win for ALL PARTIES, except the taxpayers.
