Why Does Jeff Baron's Case have the Potential to Affect All Americans

This case is more than simply about Jeff Baron. It is about our government's encroachment on the fundamental tenets and values that we Americans have fought more than 200 years to maintain. The precedent that this case is setting may well impact the lives of all Americans and the rights we take for granted--such as our fundamental right to own property. In deciding whether this case should concern you, you should ask yourself two basic questions:


  1. Should the government (in this instance a US judge) by permitted to seize all of your property (your home, bank accounts, car, clothing, etc..) and arbitrarily redistribute it without a hearing, trial, judgment?
  2. Should the government (in this instance a US judge) be entitled to prevent you from being represented by counsel of your choice (when you have money to pay a lawyer)?

Why Do the Judge and Receiver Blog Together on a Site that Features Jeff's Case as a Topic?

The judge in Jeff's case, William Royal Furgeson and the Receiver, Peter S. Vogel blog together on Karl Bayer's Blog*(each has a designated commentator's page). A feature topic of this blog is Jeff Baron's case. In addition, Karl Bayer and Judge Furgeson recently published an article regarding "special masters" and presented the article to the Texas Bar. Although Peter Vogel apparently did not attend this presentation, he is cited repeatedly in the article. Is this all a coincidence?

Why is Jeff Being Denied a Jury?

The jury is the cornerstone of a fair justice system. Recognizing this is the case, the framers of our Constitution provided Americans with guarantees of jury trials in the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Amendments.

The American justice system is designed for juries to work hand-in-hand with judges to render fair and just decisions. In proceedings involving honest judges, this system works extremely well, while in proceedings involving a corrupt process, juries perform an even more important role . In these proceedings, juries provide an obstacle to the corruption, albeit not an insurmountable one, because juries have the opportunity to render an independent decision. For a victim of a corrupt judicial process, in which the result is preordained by the judge, the jury provides the only hope for justice.