The Topeka state journal., 1921-11-07
Mcpherson Attorney Sues All
Seven Supreme Court Judges.
Charges Malace in Preventing
Him From Practicing.
CLAIMS DAMAGES OF S14O, 900
Was Suspended From Kansas
Courts in November, 1918.
Has Filed Many Peculiar Peti-
tions for Civil Damages.

The entire seven members of the
state supreme court today were made
defendants in suit for $4,000 dam
ages filed in the office of W. E. An
derson, clerk of the Shawnee county
district court, by John F. Hanson, an
attorney living at Mcpherson, Kan.
Hanson charges the supreme court
members with malice in suspending
him from practicing in Kansas courts,
alleging that the order was made with
out regard to justice or to his rights
and with "deliberated purpose and in
| tent of injuring" him.
Was Suspended From Practicing.
Hanson's suspension, which oc-
Cured November II, 1915, was the
outgrowth of petition which he fhed
| in the office of the supreme court
asking for a rehearing in the case OF
Agnes Bjorn against Robert Creager,
! appealed from the district court OF
Mcpherson county. The supreme court
had decided against Hanson's client in
the original hearing on the appeal.
When Hanson filed for a rehearing
he made, according to a contempt pro-
ceeding brought against him later by
| the attorney general, various and
divers attacks and reflections on this
court and wilfully used toward this
court contemptuous and insulting Ian
guage." Following a hearing on the
from practcing in Kansas courts until
further orders. No further orders
have ever been made.
He Charges Partially.
Hanson alleges in his petition that
the supreme court justices are guilty
| of partiality, tyranny and oppression
in said office and under the shade and
color of said office; that actual malice
| in each and all of said wrongs herein
complained of appears upon the face
of the proceedings from the palpably,
wantonly and wilfully wrongful acts
and omissions of duty and are so gross
that they are not judicial acts in fact. "
The attorney alleges that the court
was without power to render such a
] judgment and gives seven reasons why
| he thinks a suspension cannot be for
an indefinite time. He asserts that six
months is the longest reasonable time
such suspension should endure, where
as this has continued for five years.
He also claims that the supreme
court, if it had power to suspend him
| at all, could do so only so far as con-
Germs its own court and could not
prevent him from practicing in other
| courts.
Asks Damages of $4,000.
He presents in his petition a nicely
! tabulated statement OF his account,
as follows:
For actual damages for loss OF
For W general damages to established
business and standing in the pro-
IesSlOn Zo,UVU
For punitive damages for all OF
said wrongs ...................... 100000
$4,000
Hanson has filed many peculiar
| suits for civil damages. He once sued
the former state board of control on
behalf of an inmate of the Topeka
state hospital. He took exception to
decisions of the supreme court and
sought impeachment of the justices be-
fore the state legislature. He has tried
to maintain various actions against
state officials because of alleged
wrongs and misdeeds. The cases in
variably were lost when tried or were
thrown out Of court on pleadings.
AT one time Hanson was tried be-
fore lunacy commission in McPher-
son county. The commission found
him sane. Once arguing a case be-
fore the supreme court, Hanson
proudly pointed to the fact that he
had papers to establish his sanity and
challenged the court judges and op-
posing counsel to produce equal evi-
dence.
In 1914 Hanson was a candidate
for justice of the supreme court in
| the nonpartisan primary. He ran in
a field of twelve candidates and re-
ceiVed 21 e76 votes