Legal Humour Blawg

This past week saw a child direct air traffic at Kennedy International Airport. Apparently some adult brought him up to the tower allowing the kid to take over the controlling. He seemingly did a good job, making comments such as “Adios Amigos”, to an Aero Mexico pilot.  Needless to say authorities have suspended a couple of folks pending further investigation.  Doesn’t this episode restore faith in airline travel!  The kid almost got away with it until an Air Canada pilot got suspicious when little Jimmy told him not to take off yet or he would tell his teacher.  The Aero...

Odd or Amusing Legal Headlines from the Past Week (or Two):Note - No implied endorsement of, or affiliation with, any linked sites. We assume no responsibility for the content of such Web sites and your use of such Web sites is at your own risk.1 - See You In Court!Family, foundation battle over woman’s headA Colorado family and an Arizona nonprofit are fighting in court over who gets the head of a woman who died last month, along with a $50,000 annuity she left behind. At issue is whether 71-year-old Mary Robbins’ head and brain will be preserved by cryonics...

I generally return communications from my colleagues. Generally. It seems in one case George Fizpatrick had been trying to get my attention. Somehow I ignored his couple of letters and his telephone message.  It was not intentional of course. It’s just that I must have gotten distracted by other matters, perhaps the economy, terrorism or the recent increase in the price of Tim Hortons Timbits. These things do happen.  I do like George Fitzpatrick.  So what did George do? He did not send me a nasty letter threatening to bring a motion within 24 hours or asking me what grade...

This was not Robert Fidler’s lucky week. Robert Fidler of Redhill, Surrey, England decided to build himself a castle, without obtaining a building permit.  He built the castle together with ramparts and canons keeping it covered with bails of straw and tarpaulins to avoid detection. Somehow, he got caught and the other day Justice Forbes of the High Court in London told Fidler to demolish his castle.  I am shocked by the ruling.  After all, I always thought that it was a cornerstone of British law that a man’s home is his castle. What right does a court have to...

Odd or Amusing Legal Headlines from the Past Week (or Two):Note - No implied endorsement of, or affiliation with, any linked sites. We assume no responsibility for the content of such Web sites and your use of such Web sites is at your own risk.1 - See You In Court!Malaysian court orders lovers to pay fine of 4 buffaloes, 1 pig for illicit affairA Malaysian court has ordered two lovers to pay a fine of four buffaloes and a pig after they were found guilty of having an illicit affair. The man's wife filed a complaint last year after finding...

Three things in life bug me: tailgaters, the smell of vinegar, and lawyers who do not get back to me.  There is not much I can do about the first two scourges but I have found an effective way to get those ignoring lawyers’ attention, civilly and effectively.  The trilogy.   Where a lawyer ignores my communications a couple of times, I send a letter that looks like this:Dear X (not usually the other lawyer’s name, but could be):I can think of only 3 reasons why you have not responded to me:  I have not responded to you in the past...

Odd or Amusing Legal Headlines from the Past Week (or Two):Note - No implied endorsement of, or affiliation with, any linked sites. We assume no responsibility for the content of such Web sites and your use of such Web sites is at your own risk.1 - See You In Court!Man fired for bringing dog to workFiled “under “potential lawsuit”, Eric Favetta, a 31-year-old PetSmart employee, was fired for "theft of services" after bringing his dog to work during an overnight shift he'd picked up as a favor to his manager. Favetta — a former military dog handler who'd worked at...

Warren Strickland of Fairbanks, Alaska may not be doing business at Taco Bell again for at least a year. He got into an argument with the manager of a local outlet claiming that the double decker taco contained spit.  When his oratorial skills were not carrying the day for Warren, he threw the taco at the manager’s face. This resulted in charges of disorderly conduct and a rule of 1 conviction and sentencing, namely one day in jail, one year of probation and $100 fine.   I wonder how the judge arrived at this sentence, especially the jail part.  Will it...

Have you ever experienced the frustration of people you really want to hear from, not getting back to you? I have a malpractice matter going and a certain doctor was recommended to me as my would be expert.  Due to her expertise in a sub specialty she was reportedly it.  This physician unfortunately is extremely busy and hard to get hold of. I sent her a couple of letters which went unanswered.  Follow ups with her assistant and a voicemail message or two did not do the trick.  It came to my attention from a colleague that a couple of...

The Vatican has recently opened up some of its archives.  One of the revelations was a claim by Michelangelo for some painting services for which the Pope stiffed him.  The Vatican has not told us the whole story but with further digging I have discovered that Michelangelo actually registered a construction lien against the lands and premises of the Vatican as security for payment.  It seems he allegedly told Pope Julius II that he would have the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel painted in 7 days.  After 5 years His Holiness said enough is enough.  He ejected Michelangelo from the...