Blog: The $43,000 Bounty - 2012-09-06
The $43,000 Bounty September 6, 2012,
As reported last month, the Marc and Claire Headley vs. Scientology Inc lawsuit dismissal was upheld on appeal, see Headley Case Dissmissal Upheld. The case however is not over.
While using the litigation process to make things as painful financially for the Headley's as possible, Scientology Inc lawyers very carefully racked up a 'costs bill' designed to ruin the Headleys. A cost bill lists those costs associated with litigation (filing fees, deposition and hearing transcript orders, etc.) that a prevailing party may collect from the defeated party at the end of the case.
What some people do not know is that when the case was dismissed by the lower court in 2010, and while the Headleys were preparing their appeal, Scientology Inc took the unusual course of aggressively pursuing collection of their $40,000 plus cost bill from the Headleys. The Headleys had to prepare and argue more costly motions to stay collection pending appeal. The lower court denied their motion, but the court of appeal granted it - putting collection of costs on hold pending the appeal.