David Grossack
Encyclopedia
David C. Grossack is an attorney, writer, and former activist born in Honolulu, Hawaii
. He is the son of noted psychotherapist and author Dr. Martin Grossack and Judith Grossack.
, Brandeis University
, Babson College
(where he received a B.S.
in Management
in 1976), and the New England School of Law
, where he was awarded a Juris Doctor
in 1981.
third party summons by using discovery pleadings. The action was so successful that Congress altered the means by which taxpayers could object to the IRS subpoenaing third party records.
i Knesset
member and Jewish Defense League
founder Rabbi Meir Kahane came to speak at a local high school in Brookline, Massachusetts
, the town requested that his local supporters post a "security bond" to cover expenses resulting from the anticipated confrontation with opponents. Grossack made news by threatening the town of Brookline with a lawsuit for violating Kahane's First Amendment
rights. Brookline backed down, and Kahane spoke at the High School.
Mr. Grossack was active in advocating the free emigration of Jews from the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia and Arab countries.
In 1985, Grossack was named Professor of Civil Procedure at the Commonwealth School of Law, which has since been absorbed by the Massachusetts School of Law
.
In 1993, Grossack founded a publishing and seminar venture known as the Citizens Justice Institute. The Institute held seminars to train laypersons wishing to represent themselves in civil litigation without an attorney. Grossack also published a monthly newsletter (Constitutional Business, later Citizens Law Digest) which regularly briefed readers on topics such as civil procedure
, constitutional law
, civil rights
litigation and property rights. The newsletter and seminar program appealed to people facing difficult challenges with bureaucracies and hostile attorneys throughout the United States. Numerous advocacy groups took a strong interest in the publications, and Mr. Grossack became a popular speaker on radio, community television and in public forums. Fox News ran a story on pro se litigation in which his work was mentioned.
Shortly thereafter, he wrote another book entitled Radical Planet, in which he advocated a number of social and economic changes in the United States and internationally, including the introduction of a new currency he invented called Universal Trade Hours, based on the value of time and labor. The book also fully details the methods by which activists can advance their causes, and puts forth the hypothesis that there are advantages to one's emotional well-being through pursuing activism.
to establish reading rooms and web sites for the instruction of pro se litigants in the state's court houses. Shortly thereafter, the Suffolk County
Probate and Family Court in Boston established the first of such reading rooms.
and custody
decisions were usually biased against men. The lawsuit gathered significant publicity, though it was ultimately unsuccessful. [2]
The firm was seeking to evict an elderly couple in Rockland, Massachusetts who had a mortgage at 16% that had been assumed by Fannie Mae.
Grossack's concern in the situation was motivated in large part by objections he had to usury. He followed up his complaint with information that the actions of the foreclosure lawyer Mark Harmon led to the suicide of a woman in New Bedford, but nevertheless the Vaad took no action.
Currently, Universal Trade Hours are not in circulation, but Grossack has been seeking to influence NGOs in less developed countries to consider experimenting with the concept.
Grossack was named one of the state's ten best lawyers by the Boston Herald
, and received a coveted "Lawyer of the Year" award from Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.
Grossack still practices law in Newton, Massachusetts
.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
. He is the son of noted psychotherapist and author Dr. Martin Grossack and Judith Grossack.
Education
David Grossack was educated at Thayer AcademyThayer Academy
Thayer Academy is a private, co-educational, college-preparatory day school located in Braintree, Massachusetts. The academy, conceived in 1871 at the bequest of General Sylvanus Thayer, the father of the United States Military Academy, was founded in 1877...
, Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
, Babson College
Babson College
Babson College is a private business school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts near Boston.- History :Babson College was founded by Roger Babson on September 3, 1919, as the Babson Institute. It was renamed "Babson College" in 1969...
(where he received a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
in 1976), and the New England School of Law
New England School of Law
New England School of Law is a private law school in Boston, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1908 as a law school for women.-History:...
, where he was awarded a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1981.
Early Political Career
As a young law student, Grossack was influenced by the activities of Andrew Melechinsky, who was active in an organization known as Constitutional Revival. Constitutional Revival stood for the proposition that the federal constitution is the blueprint for a laissez faire, private enterprise society in which the role of government is limited, and that courts are in error for not taking measures to limit the excesses of administrative agencies, zoning boards, and similar bodies. The organization had several confrontations over property rights and building inspections. Grossack acted as stand-by counsel for Melechinsky on several occasions. Grossack, at the age of 25, represented a member of Constitutional Revival in an action to quash an Internal Revenue ServiceInternal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
third party summons by using discovery pleadings. The action was so successful that Congress altered the means by which taxpayers could object to the IRS subpoenaing third party records.
Career
Grossack soon had another opportunity to stand up for constitutional rights. When IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
member and Jewish Defense League
Jewish Defense League
The Jewish Defense League is a Jewish organization whose stated goal is to "protect Jews from antisemitism by whatever means necessary"...
founder Rabbi Meir Kahane came to speak at a local high school in Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
, the town requested that his local supporters post a "security bond" to cover expenses resulting from the anticipated confrontation with opponents. Grossack made news by threatening the town of Brookline with a lawsuit for violating Kahane's First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
rights. Brookline backed down, and Kahane spoke at the High School.
Mr. Grossack was active in advocating the free emigration of Jews from the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia and Arab countries.
In 1985, Grossack was named Professor of Civil Procedure at the Commonwealth School of Law, which has since been absorbed by the Massachusetts School of Law
Massachusetts School of Law
The Massachusetts School of Law is a law school located in Andover, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1988, and claims that its design and curriculum were influenced by the medical school educational model and legal scholars.-Admission and academics:...
.
In 1993, Grossack founded a publishing and seminar venture known as the Citizens Justice Institute. The Institute held seminars to train laypersons wishing to represent themselves in civil litigation without an attorney. Grossack also published a monthly newsletter (Constitutional Business, later Citizens Law Digest) which regularly briefed readers on topics such as civil procedure
Civil procedure
Civil procedure is the body of law that sets out the rules and standards that courts follow when adjudicating civil lawsuits...
, constitutional law
Constitutional law
Constitutional law is the body of law which defines the relationship of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary....
, civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
litigation and property rights. The newsletter and seminar program appealed to people facing difficult challenges with bureaucracies and hostile attorneys throughout the United States. Numerous advocacy groups took a strong interest in the publications, and Mr. Grossack became a popular speaker on radio, community television and in public forums. Fox News ran a story on pro se litigation in which his work was mentioned.
Authorship
In 1998, Grossack authored a book entitled How To Win A Lawsuit Without Hiring A Lawyer, which explained in great detail many of the aspects of legal self-representation., especially in civil rights cases.Shortly thereafter, he wrote another book entitled Radical Planet, in which he advocated a number of social and economic changes in the United States and internationally, including the introduction of a new currency he invented called Universal Trade Hours, based on the value of time and labor. The book also fully details the methods by which activists can advance their causes, and puts forth the hypothesis that there are advantages to one's emotional well-being through pursuing activism.
Massachusetts legislature
In 1998, the Massachusetts legislature began an investigation of the situation of unrepresented parties in Massachusetts courts. Grossack arranged for local legislators to introduce a bill into the Massachusetts House of RepresentativesMassachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
to establish reading rooms and web sites for the instruction of pro se litigants in the state's court houses. Shortly thereafter, the Suffolk County
Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Suffolk County has no land border with Plymouth County to its southeast, but the two counties share a water boundary in the middle of Massachusetts Bay.-National protected areas:*Boston African American National Historic Site...
Probate and Family Court in Boston established the first of such reading rooms.
International News
Grossack made international news the same year. His Citizens Justice Institute brought exorcist Baron Deacon to Washington, D.C. to "cleanse demons from Congress." [6] The exorcist performed a ritual on the steps of Capitol Hill in front of tourists, reporters, TV cameras and other onlookers. The event made headlines in several countries and was picked up on television and wire services.Fatherhood Coalition
The following year, Grossack was hired by the Fatherhood Coalition to challenge the treatment of males in the Massachusetts court system, most particularly with regard to domestic relations matters. Grossack, on behalf of his clients, charged that the courts violated men's rights by removing them from their homes without a hearing on flimsy allegations of spousal abuse. Grossack's civil rights suit also alleged that property, alimonyAlimony
Alimony is a U.S. term denoting a legal obligation to provide financial support to one's spouse from the other spouse after marital separation or from the ex-spouse upon divorce...
and custody
Child custody
Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parent's duty to care for the child.Following ratification of the United...
decisions were usually biased against men. The lawsuit gathered significant publicity, though it was ultimately unsuccessful. [2]
Rabbinical Court Case
In March 2008, Mr. Grossack instituted a complaint with the Vaad HaRabonim, a Massachusetts Jewish ecclesiastical court, against a foreclosure law firm, based on violations of Talmudic law concerning oppression of the poor. Grossack sought excommunication of the lawyers involved.The firm was seeking to evict an elderly couple in Rockland, Massachusetts who had a mortgage at 16% that had been assumed by Fannie Mae.
Grossack's concern in the situation was motivated in large part by objections he had to usury. He followed up his complaint with information that the actions of the foreclosure lawyer Mark Harmon led to the suicide of a woman in New Bedford, but nevertheless the Vaad took no action.
Experimental Global Currency
In 1996, Grossack invented an experimental global currency known as the Universal Trade Hour, a currency based on time and labor. He found a warm reception with Terra Libra, a libertarian think tank based in Colorado, who assisted him in publicizing and promoting the currency.Currently, Universal Trade Hours are not in circulation, but Grossack has been seeking to influence NGOs in less developed countries to consider experimenting with the concept.
Grossack was named one of the state's ten best lawyers by the Boston Herald
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
, and received a coveted "Lawyer of the Year" award from Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.
Grossack still practices law in Newton, Massachusetts
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
.