Meet Jonathan Lee Riches, "the most litigious man in history." That’s how the Guinness Book of World Records described him when they added him to their list of record-breaking facts and achievements. Since January 8, 2006, Riches has filed over 2,600 lawsuits in federal district courts across the country and has received considerable press attention. The famous defendants of his lawsuits include New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, former President of the United States George W. Bush, former Attorney General Janet Reno, Martha Stewart, NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon, entrepreneur Steve Jobs, and pop star Britney Spears, to name a few. For bestowing him with the dubious honor of being the most litigious man in history, Riches sued Guinness, along with the Library of Congress, the Encyclopedia Britannica, and several other publishers, saying that Guinness, et al. were hurting his feelings, violating his civil rights, and perpetrating a disservice to all his hard work. For his massive filings, Riches garnered the nickname “Johnny Sue-nami.” As you might imagine, most of Riches' lawsuits have been dismissed as being “frivolous, malicious” or for "failure to state a claim upon which relief could be granted.” Surprisingly, one of the few lawsuits he has actually won was against his mother for not taking care of him well. He won the case and was awarded compensation in the amount of $20,000.
