Joe Francis' Florida Case Heats Up

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis, one of the architects of the porn bailout request to the federal government, is facing contempt and default in a Florida court.

The case stems from the accusation of four plaintiffs who say they appeared in “Girls Gone Wild” videos while underage back in 2003, instead saying that they were anywhere between ages 13 and 17 at the time.

Aftering being released from house arrest in connection with a tax-evasion case, Francis is now in hot water because he has failed to produce requested documents four times, the plaintiffs say.

"No other sanction will be effective with these defendants," wrote Chicago lawyer Rachael Pontikes. "These defendants have made it very public through statements they have made in the press how much money they have and how monetary sanctions do not coerce them into compliance. This court has already noted how monetary sanctions carry little weight with these defendants."

But Francis said that he's complying just fine with the court's requests. On Thursday, he said that he's put the necessary documents in his California office for the plaintiff's lawyers to inspect.

"It's laid out in a big room with a sign on the door that says ‘Welcome,'" Francis said. "We've compiled it and made it available for their inspection, which is what we're required to do. We've been waiting for them for three weeks to come out and take a look."

Confusion arises when Miami-based lawyer Roy Black joins the mix. He used to represent Francis, and he confirmed that he has about 5,000 pages of court records ready for review, but that Francis wouldn't authorize their release.

U.S. Magistrate Allan Kornblum, who is judging the case, said that Francis is trying to keep his records out of the plaintiff's hands by constantly switching lawyers. Francis is on his fourth set of lawyers for this case. The plaintiffs have asked Kornblum to hand down a default judgment against Francis.

Francis' latest lawyer, Florida-based Frederick Bateman, has filed a motion asking Kornblum to protect any of Francis' trade secrets from being made public during the discovery process. The plaintiffs have until March 11 to respond to this motion.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Yhivi Makes Her Tushy Raw Debut

Yhivi has made her debut for Vixen Media Group (VMG) studio imprint Tushy Raw, alongside Dan Damage.

Cubbi Thompson Stars in Latest From Brazzers

Cubbi Thompson stars with Small Hands in the latest release from Brazzers, titled "She’s Good with Her Mouth."

Elegant Angel Premieres Lilly Bell Showcase 'Lilly Loves Girls'

Reigning XMAs Girl/Girl Performer of the Year Lilly Bell gets the spotlight in a new four-part showcase release from Elegant Angel.

Report: VPN Downloads Soar in UK Following Age Verification Deadline

Virtual private network apps, which can be used to circumvent geo-specific age verification requirements, are topping Apple App Store downloads in the U.K. in the wake of new Online Safety Act rules, the BBC is reporting.

Chloe Amour: Recharged, Refocused, and Ready for Real Love

These days, getting ahold of Chloe Amour on the weekend can be tough. She might ditch her phone, as was the case on a recent weekend while celebrating her birthday with family at Disneyland, riding the rides and taking in some sun.

Strike 3 Holdings Sues Meta for Pirating Vixen Media Group Content to Train AI

Vixen Media Group owner Strike 3 Holdings filed suit in federal court this week, accusing Facebook parent company Meta of copyright infringement and alleging that Meta has extensively pirated VMG content to train its artificial intelligence models.

Isabella De Laa, Cherry Candle Star in Latest From MixedX

Isabella De Laa and Cherry Candle star in the latest release from MixedX, titled “Between Us.”

Tony Sting, Adira Allure & Dominic Pacifico Headline Latest From BiPhoria

Tony Sting, Adira Allure, and Dominic Pacifico star in the latest release from BiPhoria.

Proxy Paige, Wolf King Release 'I Kissed a Trans and I Liked It'

Evil Angel has released its latest title, “I Kissed a Trans and I Liked It,” co-directed by Proxy Paige and Wolf King.

Friday is Final AV Compliance Deadline in UK

Friday, July 25 marks U.K. media regulator Ofcom’s deadline for user-to-user services such as tube, cam and fan sites to implement its requisite “highly effective age assurance” measures for preventing minors from viewing adult content.

Show More