Subjective Objectivism

The $67 Million dollar pair of… Pants…

I was just reading today about that amazing administrative law Judge, Roy Pearson, who had sued a local, Korean family owned dry cleaning business for the astounding amount of $54 Million for a pair of pants (at a generous $13 million discount) that he claimed they had lost.

His claim, reduced from $67 million, was based on a strict interpretation of the city’s consumer protection law — which imposes fines of $1,500 per violation, per day — as well as damages for inconvenience, mental anguish and attorney’s fees for representing himself. – Yahoo/AP

Thankfully, this so called judge lost his case, and this is being claimed as a victory for the legal system, demonstrating that the legal system still works. However I’m not so sure this can really be claimed as a victory. This Mr. Pearson was actually a bona fide judge when he filed that ridiculous suit. What kind of a legal a system lets a person like this become a judge? What sane person could justify a $67 Million dollar suit for a pair of pants? And what kind of a Judge is this Pearson character going to be?

Frankly this whole incident actually makes me even more concerned than relieved, because there appears to be a greater, more insidious problem here than the simple need for litigation reform. I could understand this kind of behavior from your average, greedy, money hungry, litigious American citizen. But a Judge? How many more members of law enforcement, and our justice/legal system, people who we rely on daily to protect, serve, enforce law and mete justice in our communities, suffer from similar (or worse) character flaws? And how did the system allow them to get there?

Dry Cleaner Wins Missing Pants Case – [Yahoo/AP]

Tags: Frivolous, Law, Pants, Suit