Circus and Carnival Litigation

Clown Shoes Were Defective, Woman Claims

According to the New York Post, 56-year-old Sherri Perper has sued a costume company and other businesses for injuries she sustained at a Halloween party in 2008.  Perper allegedly sustained leg fractures after a fall she says was caused by…


Clown Trouble

Neither example involves actual clowns, but they are clown-related.


Fourth Circuit Reinstates Exploding-Sandwich Lawsuit

More sandwich news today: the Fourth Circuit has reinstated a lawsuit filed by a Florida carnival operator who claimed that his face and lips were burned by hot grease that exploded out of a McDonald's fried-chicken sandwich when he bit…


Ape in Court

Seems like there is always some humor in store anytime an animal shows up in court.  I guess there was that one time it didn't go so well: Even then, though, the chimpanzees were kind of funny.  (It's those friggin orangutangs…


Funkytown’s Crazy Co-Mayors

I'm a little miffed that my hometown, Kansas City, waited until after I moved away to elect crazy people to run it. Actually, the voters elected one person, Mark Funkhouser, to be mayor, but he brought along his wife Gloria…



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,…


Fall of the Republic, #137

True or false: this person was once elected governor of a major American state.    Is the "Jailhouse Rock" joke too obvious?  Oh, well:  Blagojevich, who has steadfastly refused to lay low while awaiting trial on corruption charges, should probably…



Judge Rules Poker Is Game of Skill, Not Chance

Recently, a South Carolina judge ruled that poker is a game of skill and not a game of chance.  The issue was before him because state police — apparently with little else to do — have been raiding private poker games,…