Last Friday, we started an interesting series of popular readings from the realm of law on a global scale. You can read our previous article – HERE. This week, we’ve selected some of our favourite crazy court cases.
Man Insists on Legally Changing His Age
In 2018, a 69-year-old Dutchman wished to legally change his age to avoid discrimination based on his years. Emile Ratelband says he feels discriminated against because his real age affects his professional prospects. His chances on Tinder – a popular mobile dating app are also affected. The judge explains that too many rights and duties depend on human age. Changing this indicator could lead to too many complications.
Kidnapper Sues Hostages for Their Escape
Jesse Demick, a fugitive facing murder charges, kidnapped a Kansas couple in September 2009. At some point, he fell asleep and they managed to get away, after which the couple sued Dimick for damages of more than $75,000. Dimick decided to sue them in turn, claiming that the three had a verbal agreement to keep the kidnapped men hidden from police. The case was dismissed by the court.
Husband Sues Wife Over “Ugly” Baby
When Jian Feng from China first saw his newborn, he declared it was “incredibly ugly” and didn’t resemble either of its parents. He accused his wife of infidelity, to which she responded by shocking him with the admission that before they met, she had undergone several plastic surgeries. In 2012, he decided to sue her because she had deceived him with her appearance, concealing her cosmetic history. Jian won the case, and his wife had to pay $120,000 in compensation.
New Yorker Blames “Creepy” Poster for Staircase Fall
In 2015, a woman from New York fell down the stairs at Grand Central subway station, injuring her leg and ankle. She attributed the fall to a huge “creepy” poster for the then-popular TV show “Dexter”. The poster showed the face of the main character under plastic wrap with open eyes. The claimant argued that the image was “disturbing, provocative, and fear-inducing.” The judge disagreed, stating that the television was in no way responsible for maintaining the subway stairs and could not be held liable for the dangerous situation.
Prisoner Sues Himself for $5 Million
Prisoner Robert Lee Brock is certainly an inventive personality. Brock, who has been in Indian Creek Correctional Center, Virginia, since 1995 for breaking and entering, sued himself for $5 million, claiming he violated his own religious beliefs and caused himself to be arrested. And since he has no income due to his incarceration, Brock asked the state to pay, as he is under its care. The case was dismissed.
Woman Sues Over Wrong Weather Forecast
In 1996, a woman from the Israeli city of Haifa sued the renowned television meteorologist Dani Rup for false weather forecasting. Rup predicted sunny weather, but it rained. Based on his forecast, the woman left her home unprepared in adverse weather, fell ill, and did not go to work. The plaintiff claimed that Rup’s forecasts were legally binding, for which she won $1000 in an out-of-court settlement and an apology from the meteorologist.”