May 2008

153rd Time is the Charm for Frequent Arrestee

Although Paul Baldwin was charged only with stealing a can of beer (retail value: $1.99), on May 19 a judge in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, set his bail at $10,000.  This may have something to do with the fact that this…


Your Dog’s Body Damaged My Car, Says Alleged Creep

"I have complete compassion for them," said Jeffery Ely about the family he sued after killing their dog.  Ely had been driving at night on January 4 when Nikki Munthe’s dog, Fester, a miniature pinscher, ran out into the road…



Lessons in Avoiding Jury Duty

Thankfully, the Chicago Tribune is providing "gavel-to-gavel" coverage of the R. Kelly trial in Cook County, and though this trial will probably teach us many important lessons, the first of them has to do with jury service. Reporter Stacy St….



JetBlue Sued by Man Forced to Ride in Lavatory

Numerous sources reported recently on a lawsuit filed by Gokhan Mutlu, a gentleman who alleges that Jet Blue employees deprived him of his original seat during a cross-country flight and forced him to use the lavatory toilet seat instead. Pro:…



Knife-Purchasers Must Register, Says Chinese Government

China’s Ministry of Public Security, in full public-securing mode as the Olympic Games approach, has told citizens that anyone buying "potentially deadly knives" must now register with the state.  According to the government, "potentially deadly knives" include switchblades, knives with…


Judge Who Lost Pants Wants Job Back

In what is certainly welcome news for amateur legal humorists everywhere, Roy Pearson has filed another lawsuit.  As you may recall (see, e.g., "Judge Drops Pants; Suit Still On," Lowering the Bar (June 6, 2007)), Pearson was formerly Judge Pearson,…


Claim Alleges Trip Ruined by Dung

A New York woman who says a family trip to Connecticut was ruined when her child stepped in dog feces has filed a claim against the city they were visiting.  Kelly DeBrocky says that she and her family were planning…