It appears that during the off-season, Santa is kept busy with legal matters, in addition to whatever it else he does while the elves are busy making all the toys for next year. Santa's lawyers are now dealing with the fallout from last season.
On February 20, a Chicago woman sued Santa, or a Santa, anyway, alleging that on December 7, 2008, an apparently intoxicated Claus stumbled into her, knocked her down and fell on top of her, driving her face-first into the pavement. Antoinette Basso sued in Cook County Circuit Court, accusing the defendant of negligence and battery. She is seeking damages in excess of $50,000 for "pain, disability and disfigurement."
Santa, unable to catch a break, also recently lost his bid to contest a parking ticket he got in Brooklyn on November 28. On that occasion, he had an SUV double-parked near him while he handed out goodies from a horse-drawn carriage. Claus claimed that the SUV was only there to protect the horses and children from traffic, but the city's Department of Finance, which issued a statement saying it hates horses and children, was unmoved. Claus will therefore have to pay the $115 ticket.
Link: AP via Chicago Tribune (the recent lawsuit)
Link: AP via FindLaw.com (the parking ticket)
