@Pip Squeak What are the odds he thinks that since he filed in forma pauperis that means that he
can't have a monetary judgment awarded against him?
This is another mini-obsession with him: He can't find a lawyer to take his case
only because Null has no money. Not because his case has no merit. It's because any lawyer he approaches wants cash up front because it's clear they're not going to be getting anything on contingency. But then Null can afford to hire Skordas, so what the frick? He should just not hire Skordas, let himself be sued, and then take the money he saved on lawyer's fees and give it to Russ's lawyer. It works out the same to Null, except he also has to shut down the Orchards.
In Russ's head, this is all perfectly logical and the fact that Null won't do it is just more evidence that our beloved erverlord is evil and unreasonable.
It's pretty fun.
@The Dude Don't forget that Null "taunted" Russ in emails about the DMCA thing. Like how Skordas "berated" Russ for not really being disabled, Null insisting on a proper DMCA and being less than respectful about the whole situation is a personal attack on Russ that the court should be concerned with. Again: Null is evil and unreasonable and he should have to pay damages for telling Russ to "try him" instead of just capitulating.
@Kumquat He does try to make the distinction between criminal and civil court, at least. I don't know, but I suppose one isn't entitled to representation in civil matters. So a better comparison might be "corporations who poison their employees through negligence get lawyers, there's no reason a guy who runs a totally legal website shouldn't get one". He wants to paint Skordas as being shady because in Russ's mind, being a shitty person (especially towards Russ) is a crime in itself. That's why it doesn't matter that Skordas is clearly arguing that the Farms did nothing wrong. They're
bad people and they deserve to be punished even if they didn't break the law. That's how it works in 80's teen movies. Russ shouldn't even have to address legalities, just find a case that looks at bit like this situation (if you squint and also have a serious head injury) and then relate it back. Like when he sued Tay-tay and cited cases about misleading advertising that were totally unrelated. He starts from the point that "Tay hurt my feelings so she is a Bad Person and needs to be punished," and then tries in his inept, low-IQ way to find a method of making that happen. Null is a bad guy who hurt Russ's feelings, therefore he's also responsible for suicides. He said that he wants the "lightbulb to come on" in Null's head and make him realize that he can't be mean to people. Unfortunately for Russ, there's really no law that says you have to be nice, especially when the person you're not being nice to is a piece of shit like Russ is.
Russ really thinks he's clever. A brilliant legal mind, a gifted songwriter and musician, an accomplished author, and now the guy who's going to change the face of sex work in America. He's none of these things and also ugly, but we're the only ones who can see the truth that cleaning toilets at Wal-Mart is exactly where he ought to be.