Legal Commentary

Ruling: Amish Man Loses Religious Challenge to Septic Tank

Posted on December 20, 2008
An interesting decision by an Ohio Municipal Court was just posted in State of Ohio v. Bontrager, (OH Munic. Ct., June 24, 2008). The court explored a free exercise challenge by Adam Bontrager who refused to install a septic tank because the use of electricity would violate his Amish beliefs...

Mice Kill Over 100 Cats in Fire in Ontario

Posted on December 20, 2008
This is what happens when mice see The Tale of Despereaux. The Durham Region Humane Society was recently gutted in a fire that killed 100. The culprits were mice which chewed through electrical wires. Donations are pouring in to rebuild the shelter...

Mr. Goodbar: Attorney Arrested for Giving Client Candy in Court

Posted on December 20, 2008
Attorney Damon Rossi, 38, was arrested last week for a curious crime: giving candy to his client in a Prescott, Arizona courtroom. Rossi had asked if he could give his client the candy and was told no. Seeing that his client was hungry, Rossi gave it to him anyway, asking “what are you [...

Royal Mess: Sacramento Student Sues Over Rejection as Homecoming Queen

Posted on December 20, 2008
Sandra Howery may not be the most popular homecoming queen candidate but she is certainly the most litigious. Howery is suing Sacramento State University after it failed to make her Queen despite what she alleges was more points in favor of her selection...

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Love Boat: Oil Spill Caused by Tug Captain Leaving to Find Girlfriend

Posted on December 19, 2008
When the tugboat Mel Oliver crashed into the Tintomara tanker on July 23rd, it caused a spill of 283,000 gallons of oil and blocking 100 miles of the Mississippi River. It now turns out that it was over a jealous tub boat captain, a socially active girlfriend, and love gone terribly wrong...

Battle of the Billboards ? The Sequel

Posted on December 19, 2008
After the recent removal of an atheist billboard, liberals have shown that they can also force down signs that they dislike. Public outcry in Tucson, Arizona led to an ex-gay billboard lasting only three days. The billboard by P-FOX (Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays) read “Ex-gays prove change is possible...

Father Christmas? Naughty List: Pastor Plans to Publicly Expose Sins of Former Parishioner

Posted on December 19, 2008
Rebecca Hancock, 49, of Jacksonville, Florida may be done with the Grace Community Church and Rev. T. Scott Christmas, but they are not done with her. Hancock left the church after it demanded that she leave her boyfriend Frank Young because of their “sexually immoral relationship...

Witness: Police Asked Four Months Ago To Search Caylee Anthony Site

Posted on December 19, 2008
In a shocking disclosure, the meter reader who found the remains believed to be Caylee Anthony, 2, has stated that he actually called the police four months ago to direct them to the site. He says that he called at least three times and a childhood friend of Casey Anthony also says that she [...

Judge?s Daughter Wrecks Car, Kills Boyfriend in Drunk Driving Accident . . . And Sues the Driver That She Hit.

Posted on December 19, 2008
Elizabeth Shelton, the daughter of Texas district judge Pat Shelton, was arrested after she ran her car into a truck in 2007 — killing her boyfriend, Matthew McNiece. She was found to have a blood alcohol level that was three times the legal limit...

Judge: Iraqi Shoe Thrower Appears Beaten

Posted on December 19, 2008
When the Iraqi officials suddenly announced that journalist, Muntader al-Zeidi, would not be allowed to appear in open court and could not see his family for eight days, there was widespread speculation that he had been beaten. Now an investigating judge has found that he has signs of a severe beating with bruises [...

Torti Tort: California Supreme Court Rules Against Good Samaritan

Posted on December 19, 2008
The California Supreme Court has handed down an important ruling on the limits of Good Samaritan laws, which often protect medical personnel from some forms of liability. The law does not help Lisa Torti who pulled a co-worker from a wreak because her assistance was not medical...

Bad Dog, Good Fox: Chinese Man Discovers that His Dog is Rare Arctic Fox

Posted on December 18, 2008
A Chinese man identified only as Zhang, of Tunkou, has learned that he does not have a bad dog after all — he has a good Arctic fox. Zhang was unhappy that his dog could not be trained, repeatedly bit him, and smelled despite repeated shampooing...

Obama Nominates LaHood Despite Past Controversies in Congress

Posted on December 18, 2008
This has been a strange and stressful weak for Obama supporters. Environmentalists are reeling over the selection of Sen. Salazar for Interior Secretary and liberals are denouncing the selection of Rev. Rick Warren for the inauguration prayer. In the meantime, Obama has assembled the most establishment cabinet of any recent president [...

Muslim and African Countries Push for Limiting Free Speech to Prevent Criticism of Religion

Posted on December 18, 2008
lgeria — that ray of light for civil liberties — is pushing its plan to take its own limitations on free speech global with a proposal to ban criticism of religion as a form of discrimination. The proposal before the United Nations is being supported by Muslim and African nations...

Pardon Non: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy Wins Ruling Against Clothing Vendor Over Use of Nude Image

Posted on December 18, 2008
French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. has won a claim against a clothing firm for using nude images of her on their bags. It is a French version of the American common law rule against the appropriation of a person’s name or image. She will receive $56,200 but clothing vendor Pardon, says that it [...

Have You Ever Seen a Man Chop 100 Coconuts with His Bare Hand?

Posted on December 18, 2008
Well, you won’t see it here. This is precisely the problem with live television. In this case, Dutch live television. This is precisely why man invented tools and television producers invented pre-interviews.       

German Poverty Initiative: Let Them Catch Rats

Posted on December 17, 2008
Germany now has its own Marie Antoinette, but, instead of eating cake, Henner Schmidt would like the poor to catch rats for one euro a rodent. Schmidt is the head of the Free Democrat party in the Mitte district of Berlin and would like to pit the poor against the rats to deal with [...

First Circuit Refuses to Remove Judge Gertner For Alleged Bias

Posted on December 17, 2008
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has refused to disqualify US District Judge Nancy Gertner from a lawsuit against the Boston Police Department for a wrongful conviction in three rapes. Counsel for the department charged with her showing “deep-seated favoritism and antagonism” in comments made in court...

Court Rules Against National Security Letters and Provisions of the Patriot Act

Posted on December 17, 2008
In a victory for civil liberties, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has struck down provisions of the Patriot Act that prevent people from disclosing that they have received national security letters. The gag order provision has long been challenged by civil liberties groups as unconstitutional but both Democrats and [...

Eichman Arrested in Delaware Over Castration Contract

Posted on December 17, 2008
There seems to be a developing Third Reich theme this week. With Adolph Hitler being turned down for a birthday cake in Pennsylvania, Eichman has now been arrested in Delaware. This is Wilbur Eichman who was arrested in a bizarre case involving his alleged hiring of a hitman with a promise of bonus [...

Mein Kake: Adolph Hitler (Campbell) Refused Birthday Cake at ShopRite

Posted on December 17, 2008
First there was the Reichstag and now there is the Ritestag. The Campbell family of Easton, Pa., is up in arms over the denial of a birthday cake for their three-year-old boy: Adolf Hitler Campbell. ShopRite refused to make a cake for the genocidal murderer namesake — infuriating his siblings Pol Pot [...

Freeman No Longer: Man Allegedly Jailed for Failing to Sit Down Fast Enough

Posted on December 16, 2008
I am intrigued by the video below. Clearly there is history here but the video appears to show a man named Ian Freeman being arrested and jailed for the failure to sit down fast enough — around six seconds too long. Freeman’s supported have created a website called 93days...

Rubin?s Sandwich: Another Florida Man Charged with Assault of a Girlfriend Using a Sandwich

Posted on December 16, 2008
Matthew J. Rubin may have a rye sense of humor and easy with the condiments, but he has to learn a bit about throwing food. For the second time in a month, a Florida man has been charged with battery by sandwich on a girlfriend. Rubin, 20, allegedly hurled a sandwich at his [...

Dogma: Blind Man?s Dog Barred From Restaurant as Offensive to Muslims

Posted on December 16, 2008
A major controversy is brewing in England over a a fashionable Indian restaurant that barred the seeing eye dog of Alun Elder-Brown, who is legally blind. The owners explained that Muslims consider dogs to be unclean and offensive. This is only the latest such case in England and the United States...

YouTube Indictment: New York Police Officer Charged in Bicyclist Attack

Posted on December 16, 2008
The police officer shown on YouTube striking bicyclist Christopher Long without cause has been indicted. The officer, Patrick Pogan, has been instructed to report to State Supreme Court ifor the unsealing of the indictment. It is not clear what the specific charges may be: assault or a rumored false statement charge...

Shoe Thrower Al-Zaidi Reportedly Beaten in Iraqi Military Prison

Posted on December 16, 2008
The brother of Muntadar al-Zaidi says that the journalist has been beaten in custody suffering a broken hand, broken ribs and internal bleeding, as well as an eye injury. In the meantime, al-Zaidi is now an international superstar and there is now even a couple of games for people who want to throw shoes [...

Air Conditioned Beach: Dubai Set to Open First Beach with Refrigerated Sand

Posted on December 15, 2008
The Palazzo Versace Hotel in Dubai is about to open the world’s first beach with refrigerated sand so that well-heeled clients do not have to walk on hot sand while bathing. Dubai is already on the most hated list for environmentalists for its flagrant disregard of environmental concerns...

Supreme Court Rules Against Tobacco Companies in Light Cigarette Litigation

Posted on December 15, 2008
In a major ruling, the Supreme Court has ruled that litigation against light cigarettes may continue in a 5-4 decision. The ruling is not just a victory for anti-smokers, but also states rights advocates and common law advocates. The opinion reinforces the right of states to allow such lawsuits, which are not preempted [...

Its All Your Falk: Israel Bars Entry of UN Human Rights Council Official

Posted on December 15, 2008
Richard Falk, the UN Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur on the situation of Palestinian human rights in the West Bank and Gaza, was denied entry to Israel. Falk, who is Jewish, has been very critical of Israeli policies and he was barred entry at Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday with his entourage...

A Hold on Holder: AG Nominee Hits a Snag in Senate

Posted on December 15, 2008
President-elect Barack Obama’s nominee for attorney general, Eric H. Holder Jr., was viewed as a shoe-in for confirmation. Now, however, the GOP is closing in on Holder’s alleged role in three controversial nominations and have asked to delay the hearings...

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