A lawsuit against Nintendo and The Pokemon Company International has been thrown out after an Iowa judge described the case as “completely frivolous.” The lawsuit came from a man who demanded $341,000 in punitive damages after he was denied Pokemon Professor status.
However, there was a rather significant problem with his case. While the applicant apparently passed the required Pokemon Professor exam with a perfect score, he failed another important part of the certification process: the background check.
Lawsuit Filed After Pokemon Professor Application Was Denied
The lawsuit was filed by 34-year-old Kyle Owens against Nintendo and The Pokemon Company International.
Owens had attempted to become part of the Pokemon Professor Program. Professors can help organize and support official Play! Pokemon events, including tournaments and other community activities.
According to the case, Owens successfully completed the prerequisite exam and reportedly achieved a 100% score.
His application nevertheless failed to progress because certification was also dependent on the results of a background check.
Owens subsequently took the matter to court.
He Wanted $341,000 in Punitive Damages
Owens sought approximately $341,000 in punitive damages and attempted to build his case around the Sherman Antitrust Act.
His argument claimed that refusing to grant him Pokemon Professor status negatively affected consumers by reducing access to Pokemon events in Iowa.
U.S. District Judge Leonard T. Strand was not convinced.
Strand dismissed the lawsuit and described the case as “completely frivolous.” The judge also characterized the requested $341,000 in punitive damages as “dubious, if not outright absurd.”
The background check played a major role in that decision.
Background Check Revealed a Pending Arrest Warrant
According to information presented in the case, the background check revealed that Owens had a pending arrest warrant dating back to 2022.
The warrant reportedly involved failure to appear regarding misdemeanor charges, including criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.
That became particularly important because successfully completing the Pokemon Professor exam did not automatically guarantee certification.
Professor status was explicitly dependent on successfully completing the background-check process as well.
Therefore, getting every question correct on the exam wasn’t enough to force The Pokemon Company to approve the application.
Judge Strand emphasized that Owens had failed this requirement.
Judge Also Dismissed Three Other Lawsuits
The Pokemon lawsuit wasn’t the only case involving Owens that Strand dismissed.
Three additional and unrelated lawsuits filed by Owens were also thrown out.
Furthermore, the judge issued a warning regarding potential future filings. Continuing to submit frivolous lawsuits could eventually result in financial penalties.
For Nintendo and The Pokemon Company, that effectively closes this particular legal battle.
The Pokemon Company Still Faces Other Legal Issues
While this lawsuit has been dismissed, The Pokemon Company has recently been connected to another, considerably more serious legal matter.
A separate lawsuit involving allegations of voyeurism has been linked to a former employee. That case reportedly concerns allegations involving hidden cameras at company headquarters.
However, The Pokemon Company’s exact involvement and potential responsibility remain unclear while that case is still pending.
Unlike the Iowa Pokemon Professor lawsuit, that matter has therefore not reached the same conclusion.
Nintendo Has a Busy September Ahead
With this unusual lawsuit now dismissed, Nintendo also has considerably more exciting things happening in the coming days.
Two major broadcasts are currently scheduled.
The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct will take place on September 8 at 10:00 AM Eastern and is expected to run for approximately 30 minutes.
Nintendo will then follow it with a larger Nintendo Direct on September 9 at 10:00 AM Eastern. That presentation is expected to last around 45 minutes.
For now, however, one of Nintendo and The Pokemon Company’s stranger courtroom disputes has reached its end.
Passing the Pokemon Professor exam with a perfect score might look impressive, but apparently even a 100% score can’t make the background check disappear.
