Space Empires V or ridiculous lawsuits? What is the connection?

[jimbob]

I thought she won because she was old. And as we all know, the old and infirm should always win court cases... and people with cute fluffy white dogs... and cute blondes with short skirts... and... and... movie stars that just can't quite kick the habit for the fifth time...

[dogscoff]

Like that woman that ordered hot coffee from McDonald's and was then dumb enough to place it in her lap, and lo and behold, some coffee spilt (I forget exactly why) and she was burned? She sued McDonald's for being burned by their coffee.

I also remember one tale of a woman who sued mcdonalds when she slipped up in a pool of cola on the floor. The thing is, the pool had been put there moments earlier by her own son, who had been running riot and throwing stuff all over the place. Even though she should have been disciplining her own vile offspring, the court decided that McD was responsible for not keeping their floors clean and safe.

Also stories of burglars suing their victims when injured by a broken ladder they've stolen from the shed to gain entry to house and stuff like that... but we're fringing the territory of urban mythology now=-)

[teal]

Regarding all these court cases. Does anyone *know* for sure that all these cases survived the lengthy appeals process and stood? I thought not. The media loves to report the initial judgement and then leave everyone with the impression that's what the courts decided. The courts don't work that way. There is a lengthy appeals process that actually works pretty darn well all things considered. Just to throw out a perhaps contrerversial example, the massive tort judgement against the tobacco companies in Florida was just overturned on appeal. Even if one or two of these silly cases got all the way through to the end of the judicial process that would be just one example, which is a terrible way to make decisions about what the courts should be like. There is loads of evidence that juries actually award *less* in tort damages then judges acting without juries (for example).

[geoschmo]

Teal, I think you are right that a lot of these cases get either overturned, or at the very least the damages get reduced. I think the infamous McDonalds coffee case itself was one that was reduced. I seem to remember hearing that although I am not sure.

[snakeye]

I would like to say here that I mailed the developer of SEIV to thank him for the SEIV been such a great game. In his reply he informed me that Starfury is the next thing to come out and Space Empires V is in the works. OH BOY! CANT WAIT! *drool*

[Fyron]

Actually, I believe the coffee woman won her case... something about the McDonald's defense lawyers using "what does an old woman need her vagina for" as part of their defense...

[narf poit chez BOOM]

having seen some of those urban mythologies in the paper, i can tell you, it happens. but yeah, we should know what happens in appeals to. but some of these shouldn't have to go there.

[Fyron]

Restricting anyone's right to petition for an appeal is a sure path to tyranny.

[ May 30, 2003, 07:04: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

[narf poit chez BOOM]

no, i'm saying that some judges could use a little more common sense, so people don't have to appeal.

[Jack Simth]

One problem with that is that it isn't a lack of common sense on the part of the judge that makes people want to appeal, but the fact that they lost the first time.

Another: how do you develop a test of common sense to give to the judges? Remember, this test is going to have to be given to all of the judges, must be fair, and must be very difficult to cheat on or very easy to discover cheating on.

But yeah, it would be great if more judges had more common sense. Common sense is seldom bad.

Unfortunately, common Sense is rather rare.