Defendant Gone Wild
"He has put a lot of this foolish behavior behind him," said Joe Francis's lawyer in 2007, but guess what? He had plenty left. Back then, Mr. Francis, who some of you may know as the purveyor of "Girls Gone Wild" videos,…
2009
“I’m With The CIA” Defense Fails Again
Whether or not this defense will work in the context of possible prosecutions for torture enhanced interrogation techniques remains to be seen, but it does not seem likely to help dodge a speeding ticket. Sources reported today that a man caught speeding in Hawkins…
Michael Jackson’s Death Led to Arson, Says Arsonist
The death of the King of Pop has certainly affected each and every one of us, and we show our respect and our grief in various ways. Some buy his music, some build makeshift shrines, and some set fire to…
Taster’s Choice Follow-Up: Is “Youthened” A Word?
A reader has suggested that maybe the most noteworthy thing about the Christoff decision is that "the California Supreme Court thinks 'youthened' is a legitimate verb." See Christoff v. Nestle USA, Inc., No. S155242, slip op. at 3 (Cal. Aug….
California Supreme Court Rules In Taster’s Case
The California Supreme Court has ruled in a case I have been following for some time, namely the dispute between the maker of Taster's Choice coffee and one of its former Tasters over an allegedly unlawful use of the Taster's…
Dolphins Blamed For Woman’s Slip And Fall
Allecyn Edwards, possibly wanting to prove she could be as creative as her parents were with her first name, alleged in a complaint filed August 18 that the Brookfield Zoo and its dolphins are responsible for injuries she suffered last…
Man Who Posed As Lawyer “Seemed To Know What He Was Talking About,” Say Colleagues
Howard Kieffer practiced law for years in at least ten different states, specializing in federal criminal defense. That seems like an impressive number of states until you learn that he did not all get bogged down in taking the bar…
Next On “Dancing With The Stars”: Tom DeLay
“The Hammer” turns out to be a “really good dancer.”
Church Sued For “Enabling” Addicts By Feeding Them
Ah, the pro se plaintiff . . . the gift that keeps on giving. Justin Collins v. Glide Memorial Methodist Church, No. CGC-09-491480 (San Francisco Super. Ct., filed Aug. 14, 2009) Negligence action. The defendant enables drug addicts by feeding them…
Russian Court Says Band Needs License to Play Its Own Songs
On June 15, a court in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don (not to be confused with the other Rostov, which is not on Don), fined the English band Deep Purple after finding that the band had illegally performed copyrighted songs at a…