And they say Americans are "sue crazy"...

In Australia, a court ruled that it’s possible to sue too much, banning a Bangladeshi immigrant from taking anyone else to court.

From now on, Mohammed Tabibar Rahman is required to seek the courts’ consent if he wishes to pursue legal action. 

The ruling came after Rahman, a science teacher, filed nearly 50 cases in 10 years against government officials, a university and even his own lawyers. The ruling said that the Bangladeshi immigrant has abused the judicial system and used it to “harass, annoy or achieve another wrongful purpose”. 

The court refers to people like Rahman as “vexatious litigants". Attorney General Greg Smith said this label is applied only in extreme cases when someone is abusing the judicial system (meaning a person has to work hard for the title). 

“Taxpayers cannot be expected to foot the bill for the private and never-ending court battles of malicious, vindictive, unreasonable individuals,’’ Smith said. 

Of course, Rahman is unhappy with the ruling and plans on taking the court … to court. 

“This is a crime against humanity,” the science teacher said. “I will take them to the International Criminal Court if I have to.” 

Rahman’s fondness for lawsuits apparently began in 2001 when he failed an English exam that would have allowed him to teach in New South Wales. He first complained of racial discrimination, a complaint that was later rejected by the Anti-Discrimination Board, and began legal proceedings when that got him nowhere. 

That was apparently the beginning of his fondness for lawsuits. 

He has since launched legal proceedings with New South Wales courts and tribunals, the Federal Court and appealed to the High Court. 

Rahman has taken legal action over court bills, speeding tickets, social security payments and even a failed job interview with the Department of Immigration. 

He was once given a 12-month suspension from studying law at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia, so he started a lawsuit. 

One time he even tried to sue his own lawyers over their billing practices, eventually losing in the end and having to pay out far more in court fines. 

So why does Rahman keep losing in court? He blames the country’s “corrupt” and “racist” judicial system. 

Unsurprisingly, his many lawsuits have come at a very, very high price. His habit is estimated to have cost him somewhere between $500,000 and $1 million. 

He has already paid out approximately $57,000 from his personal bank account and is at risk of losing his two homes, valued at roughly $980,000 (no, I don't know how a Science Teacher, an immigrant, who has recieved Social Security payments, has managed to have two homes worth that much, nor why a person who has achieved that can be so angry with the system that allowed him to do it...). 

Justice Adams explained in his ruling that Rahman kept trying to pursue issues that were already settled in the courts. 

“He has persistently undertaken proceedings which were bound to be futile as they had no proper basis either in law and fact and, to bolster his cases, has resorted to allegations of corruption, bias and incompetence,’’ Adams said in his ruling. “He is unable, or unwilling, to accept that any view other than that for which he contends can be correct and has continually attempted to bypass adverse decisions by commencing fresh proceedings dealing with the same issue.” 

Rahman remains defiant, maintaining that he is the victim of an unfair system. “I am not wrong, they are doing the wrong thing, they are not following the right procedure,” he said. “Do you think this is obsessive? Is it not my legal right?” 

---wow, what a great world....

Today's Reflection:

We never really grow up.

We just learn how to act in public.

Live Long and Prosper...