It is with great pride and pleasure that I announce that legal scholars, Eugene Volokh and Aaron H. Caplan are the authors and architect of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) amicus brief on behalf of my legal position and that ELI is a relevant concern worth protecting.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/238796451/Chan-v-Ellis-EFF-Amicus-Brief-for-Appellant
Since July 2, 2014 when the Georgia Court of Appeals ordered my case to the Georgia Supreme Court over what they considered "first impression" issues regarding the First Amendment as it relates to Internet speech, I knew this was a critical turning point in my case.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/232423410/Chan-vs-Ellis-GA-Court-of-Appeals-Ruling
I "discovered" Eugene Volokh and Aaron H. Caplan through my Google searches on "First Amendment" along with "restraining orders" and "protective orders". That search first lead me to website RestrainingOrderAbuse.com (ROA).
http://restrainingorderabuse.com
ROA then led me to Eugene Volokh's legal paper:
One-to-One Speech vs. One-to-Many Speech, Criminal Harassment Laws, and "Cyberstalking" by Eugene Volokh
http://www.law.northwestern.edu/lawreview/v107/n2/731/LR107n2Volokh.pdf
Eugene Volokh's legal paper led me to:
Free Speech and Civil Harassment Orders by Aaron Caplan
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2141966
I devoured both of those legal papers in the middle of the night pouring over the cases and reading their arguments. I reached out to both legal scholars and shared the facts of my case with them and explained how my case was one they described in their legal papers and it was now going to be tried in the highest court of the state I lived in.
Each of them graciously responded to my email and also reached out to Oscar Michelen to ascertain the current state of my case. The very talented lawyer that he is, Oscar easily jumped in to bring our legal scholars up to speed.
Meanwhile, an email that I sent the EFF giving them an update of my case being transferred to the GA Supreme Court was also being responded. EFF's David Greene reached out to Oscar and then a series of integrated discussions occurred between all the legal minds as to how to cooperatively come into my case.
The weeks of public silence and quiet legal strategizing paid off and I am proud and happy to now be able to publicly discuss and share the EFF amicus brief in support of my position.
To all ELI readers, never let it be said that non-lawyers can't significantly contribute to their own cases. I pulled a couple rabbits out of the proverbial hat by following my creative and independent impulses. I took the time and energy to look at my own case in a different and unconventional perspective. When I acted upon my impulses (because I had nothing to lose and everything to gain), I won the legal lottery.
How cool is it to have legal scholars Eugene Volokh, Aaron H. Caplan, the EFF, and Oscar Michelen at my side? It is very cool indeed and the next stop is the oral argument on October 7, 2014.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/238796451/Chan-v-Ellis-EFF-Amicus-Brief-for-Appellant
Since July 2, 2014 when the Georgia Court of Appeals ordered my case to the Georgia Supreme Court over what they considered "first impression" issues regarding the First Amendment as it relates to Internet speech, I knew this was a critical turning point in my case.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/232423410/Chan-vs-Ellis-GA-Court-of-Appeals-Ruling
I "discovered" Eugene Volokh and Aaron H. Caplan through my Google searches on "First Amendment" along with "restraining orders" and "protective orders". That search first lead me to website RestrainingOrderAbuse.com (ROA).
http://restrainingorderabuse.com
ROA then led me to Eugene Volokh's legal paper:
One-to-One Speech vs. One-to-Many Speech, Criminal Harassment Laws, and "Cyberstalking" by Eugene Volokh
http://www.law.northwestern.edu/lawreview/v107/n2/731/LR107n2Volokh.pdf
Eugene Volokh's legal paper led me to:
Free Speech and Civil Harassment Orders by Aaron Caplan
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2141966
I devoured both of those legal papers in the middle of the night pouring over the cases and reading their arguments. I reached out to both legal scholars and shared the facts of my case with them and explained how my case was one they described in their legal papers and it was now going to be tried in the highest court of the state I lived in.
Each of them graciously responded to my email and also reached out to Oscar Michelen to ascertain the current state of my case. The very talented lawyer that he is, Oscar easily jumped in to bring our legal scholars up to speed.
Meanwhile, an email that I sent the EFF giving them an update of my case being transferred to the GA Supreme Court was also being responded. EFF's David Greene reached out to Oscar and then a series of integrated discussions occurred between all the legal minds as to how to cooperatively come into my case.
The weeks of public silence and quiet legal strategizing paid off and I am proud and happy to now be able to publicly discuss and share the EFF amicus brief in support of my position.
To all ELI readers, never let it be said that non-lawyers can't significantly contribute to their own cases. I pulled a couple rabbits out of the proverbial hat by following my creative and independent impulses. I took the time and energy to look at my own case in a different and unconventional perspective. When I acted upon my impulses (because I had nothing to lose and everything to gain), I won the legal lottery.
How cool is it to have legal scholars Eugene Volokh, Aaron H. Caplan, the EFF, and Oscar Michelen at my side? It is very cool indeed and the next stop is the oral argument on October 7, 2014.