PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — The founder of the Girls Gone Wild video empire was taken into custody by federal marshals early Tuesday to face a contempt of court citation after initially defying a federal judge. Joe Francis was booked into the Bay County Jail in Panama City, said Ruth Sasser, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office. "His attorneys continue to work toward a settlement," Ronn Torossian, a Francis spokesman, said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. Francis, 34, makes an estimated $29 million a year from videos of young women exposing their breasts and in other sexually provocative situations.
He appeared Tuesday afternoon before federal Magistrate Larry A. Bodiford, who ordered him held without bail. Torossian said Francis would likely be held until at least Thursday, when he is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Richard Smoak, the judge who issued the contempt citation.
He drew the contempt citation during negotiations in a civil lawsuit brought by seven women who were underage when they were filmed by his company on Panama City Beach during spring break in 2003.
My comments:
A federal judge in a civil case in Florida ordered Girls Gone Wild owner Joe Francis held in jail for contempt for his refusal to settle the civil case.
Are you kidding me?! A federal judge who orders a party to settle or face contempt charges? It is common for federal judges to put pressure on litigants to settle cases, especially cases the judge doesn't want to try. But the only duty a party has vis-a-vis settlement is to make a good faith effort. If a party doesn't want to settle, the remedy is TRIAL, not contempt for refusing to settle.
This is yet another judge gone wild, a man who thinks he is the law.