You may remember the lawsuits that Christopher Roller filed last year against James Randi and others (including David Copperfield in 2005, David Blaine, a church, and President Bush), claiming that these individuals had somehow infringed various of his rights. In the case of Mr. Randi, Mr. Roller alleged that the magician and skeptic had failed to pay him that famous one million dollars in spite of the fact that Mr. Roller had demonstrated paranormal powers, and also that the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) had "infringed" his patent on "godly powers." The district court eventually ruled as follows:
"Defendant filed a motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction under Rule 12(b)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Defendant also filed a motion to consolidate the two actions and a motion for sanctions for abuse of judicial process. The Magistrate Judge determined that Roller had failed to demonstrate that the defendant had "minimum contacts" in Minnesota sufficient to support a finding of personal jurisdiction. ...Roller's objections contain no new plausible allegations that defendant has minimum contacts in Minnesota. For this reason, the Court adopts the Report and Recommendation and grants defendant's motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction. Defendant's motion for sanctions requests that the Court impose a $ 25,000 fine on Roller that would be suspended if Roller ceases all litigation, threats, and contacts with defendant. The Magistrate Judge determined that Roller's litigation history constitutes an abuse of the judicial process, and that the Clerk of Court should be directed not to accept any further cases filed by Roller unless the pleading is signed by an attorney admitted to practice before this Court. In addition to the instant cases, Roller has filed no fewer than eleven actions in this District. Six of the seven adjudicated cases were dismissed for failure to state a claim or other pleading deficiencies under Rule 12(b), with the remaining case transferred for improper venue. In short, Roller has established a track record of frivolous litigation before this Court. The Court is mindful of the liberal standards applicable to pro se pleadings,... and it does not sanction lightly. But the "Court's goal of fairly dispensing justice is compromised when the Court is forced to devote its limited resources to the processing of repetitious and frivolous requests."... The Court therefore adopts the Report and Recommendation and grants defendant's motion for sanctions. However, the Court modifies the recommended sanction as follows. Roller shall be precluded from filing any additional actions in this Court against defendant, or regarding claims or allegations similar to those alleged in the Complaint, without the signature of an attorney admitted to practice before this Court or prior leave of an appointed judicial officer of the federal court of Minnesota."
The case is Roller v. James Randi Educational Foundation, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 75506.
