Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

Add post form topAdd Post
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

Christmas-Obsessed Lawyer Faces Disbarment Amidst Battle With Neighbors
53

Christmas-Obsessed Lawyer Faces Being Disbarred For Calling Judge A “Hateful Bigot”

ADVERTISEMENT

Meet Jeremy Morris, AKA the “Christmas Lawyer” who, after staging extravagant holiday displays in defiance of his homeowners’ association, found himself in a legal whirlwind involving a jury verdict, a judge’s reversal, and potential disciplinary action from the Idaho State Bar in the USA.

The jolly lawyer, who’s self-identified as an avid Christmas celebrant, started hosting massive displays for the holidays in 2015, after buying his “dream house” for his family, just outside the city of Hayden in Kootenai County, Idaho.

Upon creating a Facebook group and successfully organizing outdoor gatherings in the past, where people would sip hot chocolate, eat cotton candy from his restored vintage machine, and enjoy the festivities, Jeremy reportedly called the president of the neighborhood homeowners’ association to give them a heads-up about his planned display in at his new home.

RELATED:

    Lawyer Jeremy Morris may be disbarred after accusing a federal judge of corruption, amidst a legal battle with his neighbors

    Image credits: Jeremy Morris

    However, the call reportedly sparked a legal battle still being waged nearly a decade later, as one West Hayden Estates homeowners’ association (HOA) board member drafted a letter that pondered whether neighborhood “atheists” might be offended by the display and worried about “riff-raff”, Fox News reported.

    The official version of the letter, which was subsequently approved by the HOA president and sent to Jeremy changed “atheists” to “non-Christians” and “riff-raff” to “possible undesirables.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Moreover, the homeowners’ association reportedly said the scope of the event was “well beyond normal residential use,” that noise that is offensive or interferes with the “quiet enjoyment” of any neighbor is prohibited, and that lighting should be “restrained in its design” and avoid “excessive brightness.” 

    Image credits: Jeremy Morris

    They closed by noting that they didn’t “wish to become entwined in any expensive litigation to enforce long-standing rules.”

    Jeremy told the American conservative broadcaster: “I realized if I don’t fight back, and I’m a lawyer, you know, who would? I was in this position to actually take a stand for Christmas. And that’s why I became the lawyer who basically fought for and saved Christmas.”

    The festive lawyer reportedly went on to decorate his house with around 700,000 lights months before Christmas, prompting the HOA’s lawyer to demand he remove them within 10 days, which Jeremy refused.

    He said: “The next thing that happened is this became an international phenomenon.”

    Jeremy started hosting massive displays for the holidays in 2015, after buying his “dream house” for his family

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Image credits: Jeremy Morris

    Jeremy pursued his yuletide joy, ignoring the impending lawsuit, offering thousands of visitors a chance to see a live nativity scene, carolers, and even a camel. 

    The lawyer reportedly hired shuttle buses to drop massive crowds of families coming from other states and even Canada. 

    The following year, Jeremy, along with several attendees, reportedly accused neighbors of harassing people near his house. Nevertheless, at least two neighbors denied the latter allegation in the 2021 Apple TV+ documentary “‘Twas the Fight Before Christmas.”

    Accusing his neighbors of threats, Jeremy painted the HOA as a group of liberal atheists who were bigoted against Christians, Fox News reported.

    In the Apple documentary, the HOA denied the claims. Moreover, the original HOA president was married to a pastor and reportedly resigned before the 2015 Christmas show, stating a nervous breakdown from Jeremy “harassing” her.

    Jeremy was further portrayed by neighbors as a deranged bully who was hostile from the start.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Image credits: The Christmas Lawyer

    In January 2017, two years after receiving the HOA’s initial letter, Jeremy reportedly sued, alleging religious discrimination in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

    In the trial, the lawyer said: “It was ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ in the modern era.” The jury reportedly returned a unanimous decision in his favor and ordered the HOA to pay $75,000.

    However, this wasn’t the happy ending Jeremy was expecting, as a separate federal judge reversed the jury’s verdict and ordered him to pay the HOA’s legal fees of $111,000.

    Jeremy reportedly called the president of the neighborhood homeowners’ association to give them a heads-up about his planned display

    Image credits: Apple TV

    The federal judge, Judge Winmill, concluded the case wasn’t about religious discrimination, but rather the Morris family’s violation of neighborhood rules. Jeremy reportedly failed to provide facts that were a “legally sufficient basis upon which a reasonable jury” could conclude the HOA violated the Fair Housing Act.

    The judge even revealed that secret recordings Jeremy made of his neighbors often showed him acting “aggressively confrontational,” in one case threatening to use the HOA code to go after his neighbor’s dogs.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    As a result, the Morris family was permanently banned from holding another Christmas program that violated the HOA rules, a decision Jeremy immediately appealed.

    Image credits: Apple TV

    In June 2020, their case went before the 9th Circuit, which is a federal appellate court with appellate jurisdiction. As of 2023, Jeremy hasn’t received a decision. 

    During his time waiting for the result of his appeal, Jeremy filed a judicial misconduct claim against Judge Winmill, alleging that she struck down testimony from the majority of Jeremy’s witnesses. 

    Jeremy exclaimed: “This particular judge attempted to cancel Christmas. It’s no different than what King Herod did 2,000 years ago when he tried to stop the very first Christmas.”

    The homeowners association said the scope of Jeremy’s event was “well beyond normal residential use”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Image credits: Apple TV

    ADVERTISEMENT

    In January 2023, a bar representative of the Idaho state wrote to Jeremy, asking about several statements he made about Judge Winmill on social media and in the Apple TV documentary — chiefly, calling her “corrupt” and a “hateful anti-Christian bigot” who attempted to “rig a jury.”

    Ultimately, in August, another Idaho State Bar representative wrote to Jeremy’s attorney, stating that the bar found “probable cause to proceed with formal charges” under Idaho’s professional conduct rule that prohibits a lawyer from making a statement that he knows to be false or “with reckless disregard as to its truth or falsity concerning the qualifications or integrity of a judge.”

    The bar reportedly offered to dismiss the disciplinary case if Jeremy gave up his Idaho legal license. Moreover, the bar counsel noted that Jeremy moved out of state and the pending “disciplinary grievance” affected his ability to gain employment in his new home, Fox News reported.

    Image credits: Apple TV

    Jeremy went on to call the Idaho State’s offer a “shakedown” comparable to mob tactics and has maintained that his corruption accusation is true ever since.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    He told the conservative broadcaster: “The Idaho State Bar has made it clear they’re going to protect their friends, in this case, a federal judge. But the problem is, attorneys have the freedom of speech.”

    Jeremy further stated: “The law says that even as an attorney, I do not lose the freedom of speech in this country to speak about things, particularly about corruption.”

    Jeremy hired shuttle buses to drop off massive crowds of families coming from other states and even Canada

    Image credits: Apple TV

    You can watch the trailer for the documentary below:

    Despite not hosting a massive Christmas show this year, Jeremy hasn’t given up on his dreams and has purchased a large property where he is already planning an “even bigger, epic display” next year. 

    ADVERTISEMENT

    He reportedly said he had “zero” regrets about the way he treated his former neighbors. Jeremy admitted: “I’m so proud of the stand that I took and the opportunity that I’ve given to people who hate me, who hate my family, who hate my beliefs, to turn the other cheek. I would do it again.”

    “Some people are so miserable,” a person commented

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    Share on Facebook
    Andréa Oldereide

    Andréa Oldereide

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

    Read less »
    Andréa Oldereide

    Andréa Oldereide

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

    Donata Leskauskaite

    Donata Leskauskaite

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

    Read less »

    Donata Leskauskaite

    Donata Leskauskaite

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

    What do you think ?
    Add photo comments
    POST
    Deborah B
    Community Member
    12 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Shuttle buses of people from out of state and Canada" This is not "HOA war against christmas" This is noise and disruption and holding a major event in your front yard. Crowds of people, a camel, live performances, loud carols. This guy sounds like a nightmare neighbour. If he wants to have a 'Winter Wonderland' style xmas event for the public, he shouldn't use a house in a residential neighbourhood, and especialy not where there's an HOA. Presenting it as 'Religious discrimination' seems pretty spurious. It honestly sounds like he's out to make christmas a nightmare for everyone who lives there.

    Michael Largey
    Community Member
    12 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Major clue - he calls Fox News into the situation. Jesus hated people using religion to marginalize others. And isn't He "the reason for the season"? Oh, and how to tell us you're a lawyer without telling us you're a lawyer. (I might add that I am typing this in my home, which has a Christmas tree in every room. Yes, those too.)

    Load More Replies...
    PFD
    Community Member
    12 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    *Months* ahead of Christmas? Shuttle buses? I'm usually first in line with the people decrying HOAs but this sounds awful.

    Rafis Poulio
    Community Member
    12 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This guy is an a*****e MAGAt who isn't worried about Christmas, he just wants attention and to be as big of an a*****e and bully as he possibly can, all the while crying and screaming about Jesus and "muh rights!" He deserves to be disbarred.

    Load More Comments
    Deborah B
    Community Member
    12 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Shuttle buses of people from out of state and Canada" This is not "HOA war against christmas" This is noise and disruption and holding a major event in your front yard. Crowds of people, a camel, live performances, loud carols. This guy sounds like a nightmare neighbour. If he wants to have a 'Winter Wonderland' style xmas event for the public, he shouldn't use a house in a residential neighbourhood, and especialy not where there's an HOA. Presenting it as 'Religious discrimination' seems pretty spurious. It honestly sounds like he's out to make christmas a nightmare for everyone who lives there.

    Michael Largey
    Community Member
    12 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Major clue - he calls Fox News into the situation. Jesus hated people using religion to marginalize others. And isn't He "the reason for the season"? Oh, and how to tell us you're a lawyer without telling us you're a lawyer. (I might add that I am typing this in my home, which has a Christmas tree in every room. Yes, those too.)

    Load More Replies...
    PFD
    Community Member
    12 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    *Months* ahead of Christmas? Shuttle buses? I'm usually first in line with the people decrying HOAs but this sounds awful.

    Rafis Poulio
    Community Member
    12 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This guy is an a*****e MAGAt who isn't worried about Christmas, he just wants attention and to be as big of an a*****e and bully as he possibly can, all the while crying and screaming about Jesus and "muh rights!" He deserves to be disbarred.

    Load More Comments
    You May Like
    Related on Bored Panda
    Related on Bored Panda
    Trending on Bored Panda
    Also on Bored Panda