The Oregonian reports that a Portland federal magistrate has ordered Tigard Social Security lawyer Daniel A. Bernath to attend anger management counseling, pay a small court fee, and avoid contact with Judge Dan R. Hyatt as penalty for a physical altercation between the two men in March.
Apparently, the two have been fighting verbally since 2007, when Hyatt accused Bernath of dishonesty about his bar suspension record.
In response, Bernath lampooned Hyatt as a Ku Klux Klansman on his Web site, attempted to out him as a tax cheat to the IRS, filed six bar complaints on him (all dismissed), emailed other lawyers to find dirt on Hyatt, and called him a cruel, dishonest racist. Finally, when nothing was working, he allegedly jumped on an elevator with the judge and the two got into a "chest bumping" match until security broke up the fight and arrested Bernath. Both men blame each other for starting it.
Sometimes courtroom procedure just isn't as conducive to unbridled rage as a good old fashioned chest bumping. I think we've lost sight of those times when politicians would choose cane beatings over filibusters.
On second thought, what a douche bag.
