HEMPSTEAD, NY-January 12, 2005 — Did you hear the one about the two guys arrested for telling lawyer jokes?

But seriously folks, it happened earlier this week to the founders of a group called "Americans for Legal Reform," who were waiting in line to get into the First District Courthouse.

"How do you tell when a lawyer is lying?" Harvey Kash reportedly asked Carl Lanzisera.

"His lips are moving," they said in unison.

While some waiting to get into the courthouse giggled Monday at the old chestnut, an attorney further up the queue was not laughing.

He told them to pipe down and when they didn't, the attorney reported the pair to court personnel, who charged them with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.

"A court officer accused us of disturbing the peace," Lanzisera said in a telephone interview Wednesday.

"They just can't take it," Kash said of lawyers in general. "They're so used to control. We were outside on the street. This violates our First Amendment rights."

Americans for Legal Reform is a group that uses confrontational tactics to push for greater access to courts for the public and to monitor how well courts serve the public. The pair said that for years they have stood outside courthouses on Long Island and mocked lawyers.

On Monday, however, Kash said he was due in the Hempstead courthouse to answer a DWI charge from an arrest 20 months ago. He complained that his case had been postponed many times – and blamed lawyers.

"I had the nerve to plead not guilty," he said.

Dan Bagnuola, a spokesman for the Nassau County courts, said the men were "being abusive and they were causing a disturbance." He said he did not have the name of the lawyer who complained to officers.

The men were given desk appearance tickets and are due back in court – as defendants – next month.

abclocal.go.com/wpvi/news/01122005_bb_lawyerjokes.html

I'm guessing theres a hell of a lot more to this story

Quoted: Well, it's about time! (Sorry, but this topic was posted at 4:52:24 by the Tactical_Jew!) Eric The(Duplicitous)Hun

Holy crap, he beat me to it by  12 seconds.  You should have me arrested!  

Um, the name of the lawyer who complained was witheld?  Don't they have a constitutional right to confront their accusers in court?

OK, I shot the dog, broke down the front door and hog tied myself.  Now where the hell are you JBT lawyers at?