The Convoluted Legal System

xoxoxoBruce · 08-16-2010, 08:28 AM

The legal system in the US is hailed as our saving grace... trials by a jury of our "peers" protect us. But we've all heard stories of a convoluted system of laws and lawyers that make us shake our heads.

I remember Bob, a tenant of my brother's, who restored stained glass windows. He was doing a large window of a church in Boston, and hired a scaffolding company to erect the scaffold for the job. It seems the scaffold company failed to attach toe boards along the edge of the walking surface, and Bob was fined something approaching 6 figures.

Well here's another case that gets rather complicated. Much more than necessary, methinks.

Griff · 08-16-2010, 08:56 AM

Law would work much better without the humans.

casimendocina · 08-16-2010, 10:16 AM

Pretty much everything would.

Lamplighter · 08-16-2010, 10:48 AM

Awww Bruce, If I told such a long story at the dinner table with such an end, I'd be looking for the dog dish.

Please stay on top of this one and let us know when he gets around to the end

Clodfobble · 08-16-2010, 01:37 PM

When a friend of mine was in law school, she told us about an assignment they had early on in a civil litigation class. They were presented with a scenario basically similar to the one in Bruce's link: not terribly complicated; there was a car wreck in a certain location, someone died, and various parties were on the clock with their employers at the time of the accident. The assignment was to name every permutation of who-could-sue-whom-for-what given the scenario, and they worked in groups so they could combine their ideas.

The winning group came up with 27 possible litigations. The complete answer given by the professor listed 36.

Cloud · 08-16-2010, 05:36 PM

convoluted is WAY better than no rule of law at all.

xoxoxoBruce · 08-16-2010, 06:34 PM

Oh really?

Cloud · 08-17-2010, 06:20 PM

yes, really.

http://www.abanet.org/rol/

kerosene · 08-18-2010, 12:02 AM

This post will get a whole lot longer when we start discussing family law.

xoxoxoBruce · 08-18-2010, 01:52 AM

And divorce courts.

Gravdigr · 08-18-2010, 03:12 AM

I'm leaving now.

08-16-2010, 08:28 AM	#1
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	The Convoluted Legal System The legal system in the US is hailed as our saving grace... trials by a jury of our "peers" protect us. But we've all heard stories of a convoluted system of laws and lawyers that make us shake our heads. I remember Bob, a tenant of my brother's, who restored stained glass windows. He was doing a large window of a church in Boston, and hired a scaffolding company to erect the scaffold for the job. It seems the scaffold company failed to attach toe boards along the edge of the walking surface, and Bob was fined something approaching 6 figures. Well here's another case that gets rather complicated. Much more than necessary, methinks. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

08-16-2010, 08:56 AM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Law would work much better without the humans. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

08-16-2010, 01:37 PM	#5
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	When a friend of mine was in law school, she told us about an assignment they had early on in a civil litigation class. They were presented with a scenario basically similar to the one in Bruce's link: not terribly complicated; there was a car wreck in a certain location, someone died, and various parties were on the clock with their employers at the time of the accident. The assignment was to name every permutation of who-could-sue-whom-for-what given the scenario, and they worked in groups so they could combine their ideas. The winning group came up with 27 possible litigations. The complete answer given by the professor listed 36. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

08-16-2010, 05:36 PM	#6
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	convoluted is WAY better than no rule of law at all. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

08-16-2010, 06:34 PM	#7
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Oh really? __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

08-16-2010, 10:16 AM	#3
casimendocina Professor Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,622	Pretty much everything would.

08-16-2010, 10:48 AM	#4
Lamplighter Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Bottom lands of the Missoula floods Posts: 6,402	Awww Bruce, If I told such a long story at the dinner table with such an end, I'd be looking for the dog dish. Please stay on top of this one and let us know when he gets around to the end

08-17-2010, 06:20 PM	#8
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	yes, really. http://www.abanet.org/rol/ __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

08-18-2010, 12:02 AM	#9
kerosene Touring the facilities Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The plains of Colorado Posts: 3,476	This post will get a whole lot longer when we start discussing family law.

08-18-2010, 01:52 AM	#10
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	And divorce courts. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

08-18-2010, 03:12 AM	#11
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	I'm leaving now. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

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