No. 20-1055

Anthony Tricoli v. Rob Watts, et al.

Lower Court: Georgia
Docketed: 2021-02-03
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: civil-rights due-process first-amendment fourteenth-amendment free-speech government-corruption government-retaliation retaliation sanctions sovereign-immunity
Latest Conference: 2021-03-26
Question Presented (from Petition)

1. May the State of Georgia impose punitive sanctions, against an attorney petitioning the courts and speaking out in public to expose and redress state government corruption, while completely disregarding the state's own statute for First Amendment protection against government retaliation?

2. Is it unacceptable and impermissible, under the First and Fourteenth Amendments, for the State to impose such punitive sanctions in disregard of Georgia's own First Amendment protection statute, while also ignoring Georgia's statutory prohibition against imposing sanctions for taking a legal position supported by recognized or even persuasive authority?

3. Did Georgia courts violate Fourteenth Amendment due process and the First Amendment right to petition by denying an uncontested motion to set aside for fraud and due process violations affecting the judgment, on a pretextual basis without a judicial opinion addressing the law and facts of the uncontested motion, while also affirming without opinion the denial of First Amendment protection and the imposition of punitive sanctions, contrary to Georgia's own controlling statutes?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

May the State of Georgia impose punitive sanctions against an attorney petitioning the courts and speaking out in public to expose and redress state government corruption?

Docket Entries

2021-03-29
Petition DENIED.
2021-03-25
Supplemental brief of petitioner Anthony Tricoli filed.
2021-03-10
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/26/2021.
2021-02-26
Waiver of right of respondent Rob Watts, et al. to respond filed.
2021-01-07
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 5, 2021)

Attorneys

Anthony Tricoli
Stephen F. Humphreys — Petitioner
Rob Watts, et al.
Andrew Alan PinsonOffice of the Georgia Attorney General, Respondent