There are many ways for an attorney to make a name for themselves. They can earn a reputation as a ferocious negotiator, a dedicated public servant, or a personal injury lawyer renowned for getting their clients massive settlements.
Being known as "the lawyer who puts a watermark of a purple dragon on every page of the legal documents he files" will likely make you famous as well, but it might not be the type of notoriety you want to have.
Unamused by the illustrated documents filed by Jacob A. Perrone of Dragon Lawyers PC, a federal judge in Michigan asked for an amended complaint — this time, without the dragon.
Maybe Smaug's Licensing Fee Was Too Much
A former inmate referred to in court documents as "Jane Doe No. 2" decided to sue jail officials in Clinton County, Michigan, for what she considered deliberate indifference to her health while incarcerated in 2024. Her attorney, Jacob A. Perrone of Dragon Lawyers PC, filed her complaint on April 2, 2025, in the Western District of Michigan.
The lawsuit targeted the county, the sheriff, the sheriff's office, the company in charge of the county's correctional healthcare, and as yet unnamed employees of both the county and the healthcare company. Arrested for allegedly violating conditions of her bond on March 22, 2024, Doe began vomiting and showing signs of medical distress as soon as she was placed in jail. When she appeared in court six days later for her bond meeting, the judge ordered that she be taken to an emergency room immediately.
Doe, who had a cardiac defibrillator installed in her chest in 2022 for a heart condition, claims the staff at the county jail ignored her illnesses and denied her requests for medical care while in custody, a violation of her Eighth Amendment rights against cruel and unusual punishment. The suit also identifies violations of Doe's Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights by the Clinton County Jail staff.
Seeking relief for the damages sustained, attorneys' fees, and punitive awards as well, Doe requested a jury trial. All of these are perfectly normal and reasonable requests the court is presented with on a regular basis, except for the extremely large watermark of a purple-colored dragon in a suit that graced every page of the e-filing by Perrone and Dragon Lawyers PC.
Aggressive Representation Indeed
Perrone, a graduate of Thomas M. Cooley Law School, opened Dragon Law PC in East Lansing, Michigan, in late 2024. Before that, he spent almost three years as an associate attorney with another firm after operating Perrone Law for over 12 years. Stating that a dragon logo projected an image of "aggressive representation," Perrone saw it as having potentially strong marketing appeal. It's hard to stand out from the crowd, and there's nothing wrong with trying a unique approach that emphasizes your strength as a law firm.
Less measured was Perrone's decision to include his logo on every page of the filing for Jane Doe. The move did not appeal to federal magistrate judge Ray Kent at all. In his order, Judge Kent derided the watermark as "distracting, impertinent, and juvenile." Citing Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12 (f)(1), Judge Kent struck down the complaint for having redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter.
The magistrate allowed Doe and her attorney until May 5 to file an amended complaint "without the cartoon dragon." Perhaps wary of Perrone's next move, he also ordered the plaintiff not to file any court documents with said dragon or other inappropriate content.
Despite the miscue, the lawsuit can continue without harm to the client, provided dragons stay away from the court. Meanwhile, if you're looking for marketing tips that won't land you in trouble with the court, feel free to check out our lawyer marketing section of FindLaw.
Related Resources
- 10 Common Fears About Lawsuits (FindLaw's Filing a Lawsuit)
- What Are Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility? (FindLaw's Learn About the Law)
- Filing a Lawsuit (FindLaw's Litigation and Appeals)
