U.S. District Judge Otis Wright II

An angry federal judge demanded that a Los Angeles lawyer resign from the legal profession after his profanity-laced emails got national attention.

"You just trashed your profession," U.S. District Judge Otis Wright II of the Central District of California told Christopher Hook at a hearing Monday. At issue were about 100 emails filled with profane and discriminatory remarks that Hook wrote to opposing counsel, telling them, among other things, to "eat a bowl of dicks" and "pay up fuckface."

Wright, a former deputy sheriff in Los Angeles County and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, told Hook he had acted "like a gangster."

"Tell you what, slick, this profession does not need you," the judge said. "I am going to do what I can to remove you from this profession."

He then asked Hook to resign.

"I will not do that," Hook responded, prompting Wright to interject.

"Shut up," the judge said. "I want you to resign from this profession."

Wright had earlier ordered Hook to show why he should not sanction him and toss his case in light of his actions after a team at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton filed an ex parte application, attaching the emails. Sheppard Mullin represents Allstate Insurance Co. in a Los Angeles couple's lawsuit, filed Aug. 13, seeking at least $350,000 in reimbursement for water damage to their $3.6 million house.

The Nov. 26 ex parte application also sought a restraining order against Hook, of the Law Offices of Christopher G. Hook in Culver City. Hook wrote his opposing counsel to inform Allstate, "I am going to waterboard each one of their trolls that show up for depo without any mercy whatsoever," according to the emails attached to the Sheppard Mullin lawyers' filings. Hook also wrote that Sheppard Mullin partner Peter Klee would "get fucking tattooed across the face." He also told Klee, "I know where you live," identifying his home address and his wife by name.

Hook's emails also used discriminatory language, referring to the Sheppard Mullin lawyers as "gay boys" among other epithets.

"Haha. Fuck you crooks. Eat a bowl of dicks," Hook wrote in response to Sheppard Mullin partner Marc Feldman's claim that the dispute was over just $200,000. Hook had asked for as much as $306 million, according to exhibits attached to the ex parte application.

Over the weekend, following national media coverage of the dispute, Hook appeared on "Reasonable Doubt," a podcast hosted by Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos and comedian Adam Carolla.

Monday's hearing, which lasted less than 30 minutes, had a theatrical flair from the start, when Wright asked about Hook's whereabouts.

"That's a good question, your honor," said Matthew O'Hanlon, a partner in the Los Angeles office of Barnes & Thornburg, which sought to replace Hook in the case. "The fact that he is not here is unexplained and troubling."

Wright said he was not troubled.

"Everybody knows why we're here," he told a crowded courtroom, referencing the national media attention surrounding Hook's actions. He paused. "Of all the stupid things I anticipated today, this is not one of them."

After O'Hanlon assured the judge that his clients knew nothing about Hook's filings, Wright agreed not to dismiss the case and lifted a stay on depositions in the case. He also said he would issue another order for Hook to show cause and appeared receptive to a request from Sheppard Mullin's lawyers to get a restraining order against him. The judge added, "I've never seen anything like this."

That's when Hook stood up from among the courtroom of onlookers. Wright fingered for him to approach the bench.

"When did you get here?" he asked.

"I apologize, your honor," Hook replied, stating he had arrived prior to the hearing's start.

Wright then pounded his fist and demanded to know when, as Hook said in his court papers, he had apologized to the court in writing. The judge wanted to know if the emails were part of his litigation strategy or the product of "frustration and anger." Hook replied they were both. Hook refused to back down from his claim that his opposing counsel could not authenticate the emails, prompting Wright to anger.

"This is not the day to be cute," he said, "and I am not the guy."

The judge also asked if Hook continued to insist that Sheppard Mullin's lawyers, by refusing to respond to his settlement demands, were responsible for the language in his emails.

"Not at all, your honor," Hook responded. "This is my fault entirely."

But Hook still maintained that his emails were protected under the litigation privilege and the First Amendment.

"You honestly believe the First Amendment extends to anything?" Wright replied. "You did go to law school, right?"

The judge called Hook's decision to put such language into an email a "rookie mistake." And, the judge said, Hook threatened people. "If that would've happened to me, I'd come looking for you."

At the end of the hearing, the judge told Sheppard Mullin's lawyers to submit the fees and costs they want from Hook. Hook said he would agree to pay them.

"You're going to pay for this," the judge told Hook. "You're going to write a check. That's just the first thing. This is not going to be over."

Calling Hook a "piece of work," the judge ended the hearing by stating, "we're out of here," and motioned for Hook to leave the courtroom, which the lawyer did immediately.

"Sorry, I apologize, your honor," Hook said while leaving.

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