Judge Otis Wright told the lawyers' state bar associations they had engaged in ‘moral turpitude’, reports Business Insider.
Judge Wright, who was overseeing a case against an alleged porn downloader, ordered the lawyers – who are connected to a Chicago anti-piracy firm known as Prenda Law - to pay $81,320 in legal fees and penalties.

Troll lawyers

According to the report, the self described ‘copyright troll’ lawyers are John Steele, Paul Hansmeier, Paul Duffy, and Brett Gibbs.
The judge claimed that the lawyers attempted to ‘outmanoeuvre the legal system’ by accusing individuals of illegally downloading pornographic videos and then offering to settle for a sum calculated to be just below the cost of a ‘bare-bones’ defence.

Determined defendants

Most of the accused would settle rather than have their names associated with the illegal material. However those that chose to fight the allegations would usually see the case dismissed by Prenda which showed ‘little desire to proceed in lawsuits when faced with a determined defendant’, according to Judge Wright.
The copyright lawyers are yet to respond to requests for comment.