A Prisoner Sued Himself for $5 Million and Asked the State to Pay

In 1995, Robert Lee Brock was serving time in a Virginia prison. He had a lot of time to think. What he thought about was suing.

The defendant he chose was unusual: himself.

The Case

Brock filed a civil rights lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The plaintiff was Robert Lee Brock. The defendant was Robert Lee Brock.

His argument was creative, if nothing else: by getting drunk, he had violated his own civil and religious rights. This self-inflicted violation had caused him to commit the crimes that landed him in prison. Therefore, he had suffered damages at his own hands to the tune of $5 million.

The twist: since he was incarcerated and unable to earn money, he argued that the state of Virginia should pay the $5 million judgment on his behalf. He promised, generously, to pay the state back upon his release.

The Ruling

Federal Judge Rebecca Beach Smith reviewed the filing. Her response has become one of the most quoted judicial opinions in American frivolous lawsuit history.

She praised Brock's "innovative approach to civil-rights litigation." Then she dismissed the case, ruling that his claim was "totally ludicrous."

He sued the person responsible for all his problems. He lost.