Legal Humour News - October 5, 2009

Odd or Amusing Legal Headlines from the Past Week (or Two):

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1 - See You In Court!

Man sues BofA for "1,784 billion, trillion dollars"

Dalton Chiscolm is unhappy about Bank of America's customer service -- really, really unhappy. Chiscolm in August sued the largest U.S. bank and its board, demanding that "1,784 billion, trillion dollars" be deposited into his account the next day. He also demanded an additional $200,164,000, court papers show.

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE58O4SC20090925

Judge orders man to quit smoking for one year

A judge has ordered a 19-year-old Hawaii man who pleaded no contest to starting a restaurant fire with a flicked cigarette to stop smoking for a year. Bachman-Majamay pleaded to a reduced charge of third-degree criminal property damage. Second Circuit Judge Joel August ordered him to do community service and pay a $1,025 fine to fix the roof. He also told the teen not to use tobacco for a year.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/09/20/11019656-ap.html

Notre Dame sues ex-worker over $29,000 tip

A woman who worked catering events for the University of Notre Dame decided it was her lucky day when she received a $29,000 tip, but now the university is suing her to get the money back. The South Bend, Ind., school says in a lawsuit that it paid Sara Gaspar the huge gratuity instead of about $29 because of a clerical error. Gaspar says she called the school three times about the unusual payment but spent the money on a car and to pay bills after the school didn’t get back to her.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/09/16/10939276-ap.html

Judge to lawyer: Dress well in court

If you plan to show up in court, it may be best to dress up for the occasion. A federal judge in Brooklyn, New York threw out a complaint by a lawyer alleging a constitutional right to wear jeans and a baseball hat in a courtroom.

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE58O4KZ20090925

Swedish mourners seek damages over 'drunk' pastor

A Swedish family has asked for damages of nearly 30,000 euros after a Protestant pastor performed a funeral service apparently "drunk". The pastor also raised eyebrows when he kissed the hand of the deceased's daughter and gave an exaggerated hug to the 20-year-old granddaughter.

2 - Crime and Punishment

Man gets 2 yrs for swiping car on 1st date

A Detroit man has been sentenced to at least two years in prison for stealing a woman’s car after skipping out on the check during their first date.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/10/02/11257471-ap.html

Cops caught playing Wii during raid

It's game over for some police officers who played video games while they raided a convicted drug dealer's home in central Florida. Surveillance video obtained by WFLA in Tampa caught the officers playing a Nintendo Wii bowling game, with one furiously jumping up and down in celebration. Officials say some of the officers could be disciplined.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/09/22/11056596-ap.html

Fake cop arrested after stopping mayor

Police say a man impersonating an officer with a flashing red light in his car has been arrested after he pulled over the wrong driver — the mayor of Shreveport, La. Police think the suspect was using the in-dash light to maneuver through traffic Monday night in northwest Louisiana. Mayor Cedric Glover says he pulled over when the drove behind him, but the fake officer then sped away.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/09/15/10916641-ap.html

US woman fined for letting 12-year-old drive other kids to day care

A Montana woman accused of letting her 12-year-old daughter drive three siblings to day care has been fined nearly $1,000. Prosecutors say in March, the woman allowed her daughter to drive three younger siblings from their house in Vaughn to a day care about 15 miles (25 kilometres) away in Great Falls. Police say she claimed she was too sick to drive and on medication.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/091002/koddities/us_odd12_year_old_driver

3 - Politics, Law, and Governance

Taking sex out of Ontario county

There's no more sex in Middlesex -- at least not in the e-mail world. Spam filters have been blocking so many computer messages from the County of Middlesex that the municipality has bought a new domain name. The sex change means e-mail addresses will soon end in @mdlsx.ca, instead of @county.middlesex.on.ca.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/09/09/10797106-sun.html

Son of B.C. MP moons audience at convocation

A B.C. Conservative MP is dealing with an embarrassing family matter after her 22-year-old son mooned the crowd at his university convocation ceremony. It happened when James McLeod lifted his gown to bare his bum after getting a degree at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/10/02/11260086-cp.html

Malaysia stakes copyright to recipes

Malaysia is starting a food fight with other countries to win bragging rights for producing some of Southeast Asia's most beloved recipes, including chili crabs and coconut cream rice. Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen said, "we cannot continue to let other countries hijack our food.”

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/09/17/10952001-ap.html

U.S. Military may lift ban on women in submarines

Top Pentagon officials are calling for an end to the U.S. military's historical ban on allowing women to serve in submarines. Women account for about 15 percent of the more than 336,000 members of the U.S. Navy and can serve on its surface ships. But critics have argued that submarines are different, pointing to cramped quarters where some crews share beds in shifts.

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE58R36S20090928

Military helicopter lands in Kenora, Ont., to pick up A&W takeout meal

Even military men get the munchies. A Canadian military helicopter touched down in Kenora, Ont., in the parking lot across from the A&W for a food run on evening. Restaurant owner said crew members picked up an order of six burgers, four fries and drinks, before lifting off again on their journey.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/091002/koddities/oddity_military_munchies

What the? Tourism group changes acronym

A Wisconsin tourism lobbying group is changing its name after realizing its initials formed a crude acronym. The Wisconsin Tourism Federation group did a quiet rebranding in July, changing its name to the Tourism Federation of Wisconsin and updating its logo from WTF to TFW after it was featured on Web sites and blogs poking fun at it. It had no way of knowing 30 years ago that the letters would go on to take on a crude association.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/09/30/11216736-ap.html

4 - And Now for Something Completely Different

British girl banned from selling granny on eBay

A 10-year-old British girl has been barred from trying to sell her granny on eBay, who she complained was "cuddly" but "annoying”.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090930/oddities/britain_internet_ebay_family_offbeat

Couple exchanges vows at Tim Hortons

In what was a first for the small group of friends and family, and doughnut shop staff, Al Rutherford and Verna Williams decided to get married at Tim Hortons, a Canadian coffee institution.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/09/06/10770161-sun.html

Store launches underpants for left-handed men

A British store is launching a range of underpants for left-handed men, an innovation it says will save them both time and embarrassment in front of the porcelain. The new range, by UK-based Hom, will have a horizontal opening instead of a vertical slit accessed from the right-hand side, breaking a tradition that has lasted for 75 years.

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE58M5FM20090923