I am surprised that so many people believe that the remedy for these types of matters will be found in the courts. As I explained in the past,  the courts have often been used by the rich and the powerful to hurt innocent people. But let me explain here why appealing this case in the courts is not feasible for people like me. When I say people like me, I mean people who are ideologically hated by most of the judges, lawyers and staff that control the lower courts and who do not have the financial means to combat massively funded legal teams. Let me explain. 

At this point this is what it would take for me to get this case to the U.S. Supreme Court. First, I would have to appeal to the Idaho Appellate Court, that would take me at least two years, most likely three just to be heard. Litigation in this court would take another couple years. Through the entire process St. Lukes would be burying me with legal papers created by their team of $600 per hour attorneys. Of course I would have to respond to every document they filed or the case would be compromised. Responding to St. Lukes litigation would be impossible unless I hire a team of attorneys also. The average cost for a decent attorney in Idaho is $250-$350 per hour. It would take at least 3 attorneys, most likely more, from what I am being told by a knowledgable Idaho law firm. Legal assistants could be utilized but only for certain things. Even with a legal team it would be hard to read and respond to all the documents that the St. Luke's team would be throwing at us. We know this from what they have done in the past. Then in the end, I would most certainly lose in the Idaho Appellate Court. The same people that make up the Ada County Court also make up the Idaho Appellate Court. Most of the judges chosen for the Appellate Court come from the Ada County Court and live in or associate closely with Ada County. 

After the loss in the Idaho Appellate Court, I could then appeal to the U.S. District Court. However, this court I have already appealed to and they rejected taking up the case then awarded St. Lukes over $18,000 in legal fees as punishment to me for filing in their court. Remember the U.S. District Court of Idaho are all judges from Idaho and it is still the Idaho Good Old Boys that influence that court even though it is a U.S. Court. Therefore, it would also take several years (paying that team of attorneys) to get through the U.S. District Court and in the end it would most certainly be a loss. Don't think I'm just being a Debby Downer here, this analysis is simply a very practical projection of what would happen based upon the present legal system and our current political climate. 

After the U.S District Court it is onto the U.S. 9th Circuit Court. By this time I would most likely be in absolute destitute and my young children would be leaving the home with only a few memories of me not working on the legal case against St. Lukes. However, outside of the control of the Idaho establishment, I may find some traction in the 9th Circuit Court, but it is a crap shoot and would also take several years of responding to St. Lukes law fare. Tens of thousands of documents during each litigation. St. Lukes has endless funds to pay lawyers for the simple purpose of creating documents that I must respond to. But, finally, after 8-10 years of this intense litigation, if I could endure, I may make it to the U.S. Supreme Court. The litigation in the U.S. Supreme Court would be much less and I actually believe I might win (if the justices have not changed by then). But, in reality I would have already lost. I would have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars, thousands and thousands of hours of family and work time and most likely everything I own anyway just to pay for it all. You see, with our legal system, the process is the punishment, even when you win.

The estimate at a minimum is $700,000 and 10,000 hours to litigate this case to the U.S. Supreme Court, that is a minimum figure. It could take upwards to $2.5 million because of the mountains of legal responses that would be required due to St. Luke's team of attorneys. For St. Lukes to dump $3-5 million into attorneys is nothing. They run on a multi-billion dollar annual budget. The U.S. legal system is not about justice but about who has the most money to spend on attorneys and litigation. My attorney fees in the Oregon and Nevada cases were $534,000. Incarcerated I was forced to fight in the courts then and it is by the grace of God that we are not in prison still, even though we were completely innocent. Yes, I could raise some money for legal expenses but my experience is that people would slowly stop caring about this case in less than a year and the rest of the financial burden would be mine to carry, Also, I have never been good at raising money. It is hard to ask people for money when it seem as if it is for yourself.

Hopefully this helps clarify why there is no win appealing to the courts. However, I have seen wins in other more practical ways but it takes courage, fortitude and God's favor to prevail. I intend on simply living and demanding that I am left alone. If not, I will defend myself and call on others to help.

Writing by Ammon Bundy 

July 27, 2023