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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

‘Pants suit’ judge files appeal papers

Washington Post The Spokesman-Review

WASHINGTON – A day after the dry cleaners he sued tried to make peace, D.C. Administrative Law Judge Roy Pearson filed official notice Tuesday that he plans to appeal the verdict against him to the District’s highest court.

The owners of Custom Cleaners had hoped to head off Pearson by filing court papers withdrawing their demand for tens of thousands of dollars in attorneys fees and prevailing on him to let the case lie.

But Tuesday, a day before the deadline for filing his notice of appeal, Pearson – whose $54 million suit arose from a dispute over a pair of pants that he claimed went missing – submitted the requisite paperwork to the D.C. Superior Court.

So, for now at least, the case of Pearson v. Chung will remain alive, sustained by a two-page filing and a $100 fee. The filing doesn’t guarantee Pearson will follow through. The case could be settled before either side ever finalizes its filings and long before arguments in court.

It could be a while, though, before the two sides are ready to talk, after Pearson spurned the olive branch offered by the Chung family on Monday. The Chungs said they had raised enough money from supporters to cover the legal costs and they saw little reason to keep the case alive and asked Pearson to forgo an appeal.

In the meantime, Pearson has his job to worry about. Since his initial two-year term expired earlier this year, Pearson has been in limbo awaiting a decision on his application for a full, 10-year term.