Pants suit judge sues to get job back

WASHINGTON (AP) - A former judge who lost a $54 million lawsuit against a dry cleaners over a missing pair of pants is suing to get his job back and at least $1 million in damages.

In the suit filed in federal court, Roy Pearson claims he was wrongfully dismissed for exposing corruption within the Office of Administrative Hearings, the department where he worked. In court documents, Pearson said he was protected as a whistle-blower and that the city used the fact that he was being "vilified in the media" to cut him out of his job.

In a response to a Freedom of Information Act request from The Associated Press, the city's general counsel wrote that Pearson's term as an administrative law judge expired in May 2007, and the D.C. Commission on Selection and Tenure of Administrative Law Judges voted not to reappoint him.

The panel reached its decision based on Pearson's work and temperament as a judge and the $54 million lawsuit. Pearson had requested to be appointed for a 10-year term.

The $54 million pants suit saga began when Pearson filed a civil suit against Jin Nam and Ki Chung, the owners of Custom Cleaners in Northeast, for losing a pair of pants and using signs that Pearson claimed were deceptive.

In June 2007, Judge Judith Bartnoff ruled that the Chungs did not violate the consumer protection law by failing to live up to Pearson's expectations of the "Satisfaction Guaranteed" sign once displayed in the store.

The Chungs sold the business because of the revenue losses and emotional toll the family suffered as a result of the lawsuit.

Initially, Pearson calculated his losses at $67 million but lowered his request to $54 million.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)