This was one of Scientology's attempts to get the lawyer for the Lisa McPherson Estate (woman held captive for 17 days by Scientology and died) disqualified. It would have been an huge victory for the "Church" if succeeded, but Judge Schaeffer denied this motion. From that order of 12 January 2003 the following background is taken:

This cause came on to be heard on Defendants' Omnibus Motion for Terminating Sanctions and Other Relief, which was served on April 26, 2002. The motion requested the following relief, both cumulatively and in the alternative: (1) striking of plaintiffs complaint; (2) an order precluding plaintiff from answering the counterclaim, and defaulting plaintiff on the counterclaim; (3) dismissal of plaintiffs claims with prejudice; (4) disqualifying plaintiffs counsel from representing plaintiff on any matter in these proceedings; and (5) awarding sanctions, in an amount to be determined, against plaintiff and her counsel.

On May 1, 2002, the Plaintiff filed her 5-page Response in Opposition to Defendants' Omnibus Motion for Terminating Sanctions and Other Relief, with 4 Exhibits, comprising 8 pages.

On May 2, 2002, this court held a hearing wherein the motion was argued. It was determined that a full hearing should be held in order to resolve all the matters raised in Defendants' motion.

On May 3, 2002, testimony on the Defendants' motion commenced. It ended July 18, 2002. The hearing totaled 35 days. Several hundred exhibits were introduced. The transcripts of the hearing comprise many thousands of pages, and were provided to this court in six 4-inch binders of 4 to a page transcripts.

The SP Times reported on April 29, 2002 as follows about this motion: