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Court of Appeals Affirms Sanctions on Orly Taitz

By Tanya Roth, Esq. on March 29, 2010 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

There are a few groups trying to dethrone President Obama. The Birther movement, however, has the most "interesting" platform.

And the most "interesting" leader.

Queen of the Birther movement, Orly Taitz, must pay a hefty amount for her challenges to President Obama's birth certificate. Taitz was fined $20,000, as upheld by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this month. 

Her sanctions arise from her 2009 lawsuit, challenging the deployment of a military person, Capt. Connie Rhodes, on the grounds that the deployment was void as President Barack Obama was not a legitimate president. Taitz argued in her suit, and continues arguing outside of her lawsuits, that President Obama should not be President, as he was never actually born in the United States. 

U.S. District Court Judge Clay Land called the Rhodes lawsuit "frivolous" and warned her that she could face sanctions in the future, should she file a frivolous lawsuit again.

But the cat came back, the very next day. Taitz immediately filed a motion of emergency stay and became defiant.  In the end, she was sanctioned $20,000.  

But of course, Taitz refused to pay up. Instead, she appealed the sanction, on the grounds that district court failed to recuse Judge Land upon Taitz's motion and that the court failed to afford her due process. 

Essentially, a party can request a judge to remove himself in a particular proceeding, due to conflict of interest.  This is in line with the notion that judges must remain impartial. 

The Court of Appeals found Taitz's arguments unpersuasive and affirmed the district court's sanctions. 

Orly Taitz is currently facing disbarment proceedings with the California State Bar. In addition to being an attorney, she is also a dentist, a licensed realtor, martial arts trainer and a GOP candidate for California Secretary of State. 

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