Jack Thompson v. Bully

Jack Thompson v. Bully was a legal dispute between activist Jack Thompson and Rockstar's Bully. Thompson claimed the game promoted violence and disruption in a school setting, calling it a "Columbine simulator". In August 2006, Thompsons filed for a subpoena to receive an early copy of the game before it hit the shelves. They did not respond to his subpoena.

Thompson filed the public nuisance complaint against Wal-Mart, Take-Two Interactive, and GameStop, demanding that he be allowed to preview the game before its October 17 release date. Take-Two complied and provided a copy for the Judge and Thompson to see the game in the private chambers. The Judge saw no reason for the game to be pulled and dismissed his complaint the next day.

Thompson, upset, called out the judge by claiming he didn't know what he saw and criticized Take-Two for not showing the most violent parts of the game. Blank Rome subsequently filed a motion to have Thompson's behavior declared "contempt for the court". Judge Friedman then recused himself from ruling, and instead filed a complaint against Thompson with the Florida Bar, calling Thompson's behavior "inappropriate by a member of the bar, unprofessional and contemptible".