Pro Se Lawyer Wins Order to Depose Ex-President Bush in Property Dispute
Representing himself in a property dispute over the George W. Bush presidential library at Southern Methodist University, a Texas lawyer has won a highly unusual court order requiring a former president of the United States to appear for deposition.
Lawyers for ex-president George W. Bush say they expect the order to be reversed on appeal, reports the Houston Chronicle. If it isn’t, this would be the first time that a sitting or former president has ever been required to testify in a state-court matter, according to attorney John Martin, who represents the former president.
Attorney Gary Vodicka is an SMU law school graduate who contends that the university wrongfully obtained control of his four condominium units, which SMU has escrowed a six-figure sum to purchase. A little over a decade ago SMU began buying out owners in the 350-unit complex, eventually purchasing enough units to win a majority of votes on the condominium association’s board.
The board then decided to demolish the rundown 40-year-old complex in 2006, the newspaper reports. Subsequently, SMU announced that the site would be part of the presidential library grounds. They hope to break ground next year and open the library in 2013.
SMU contends that the case is simply a ploy to extract more money from the university, which reportedly has offered to settle with Vodicka for $1 million to no avail. However, Vodicka says he is motivated by principle and expects to get his property back, even though it will no longer include the actual condominium units.
“I think I’ll own my land by the time this is all over,” he tells the newspaper. “I’m going to pitch a tent, play golf and set up an Obama lemonade stand.”
