Monday smiles – Alternative Dispute Resolution the Old-Fashioned Way: Rock, Paper, Scissors

November 22nd, 2011

One-third of the way toward resolving lawyer disputes.
Fed up with wrangling lawyers, U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell (M.D. Fla.) came up with a novel dispute resolution procedure: the game of “rock, paper, scissors.”

In what Judge Presnell called “the latest in a series of Gordian knots that the parties have been unable to untangle” without court assistance, the parties were unable to agree on a location for a deposition.

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Monday smiles – Appropriate shoes

From 2009, a wonderful motion about a lawyer using shoes with holes in the soles to convince the jury that he is a “humble and simple” man and so frugal that he has to wear old shoes. He also apparently stands with his foot “crossed casually beside the other so that the holes (…) are readily apparent to the jury”.

Less amusingly, the media coverage of the shoe incident actually led to a mistrial verdict.

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Monday smiles – I give you this orange

Everyday phrase:
“I give you this orange.”

Legal translation:
Know all the persons by these presents that I hereby give, grant, bargain, sell, release, convey, transfer, and quitclaim all my right, title, interest, benefit, and use whatever in, of, and concerning this chattel, known as an orange, or Citrus orantium, together with all the appurtenances thereto of skin, pulp, pip, rind, seeds, and juice, to have and to hold the said orange together with its skin, pulp, pip, rind, seeds, and juice, for his own use and behoof, to himself and his heirs, in fee simple forever, free from all liens, encumbrances, easements, limitations, restraints, or conditions whatsoever, any and all prior deeds, transfers, or other documents whatsoever, now or anywhere made, to the contrary notwithstanding, with full power to bite, cut, suck, or otherwise eat the said orange or to give away the same, with or without its skin, pulp, pip, rind, seeds, or juice.

Author: Unknown. Apologies to all who those already know of this little text. 

Monday smiles – Sea-ing double

This is actually a key case from English contract law – but at the same time almost unbelievable. Apologies to any readers who know all about the case already.

It is the story of two ships with identical names, doing an identical voyage, carrying identical cargoes. One the parties involved is even called Raffles (for those who don’t know him, there was a ‘gentleman thief’ character of the same name, created by a relative of Conan Doyle).

Suspend your disbelief for a moment, and read on…

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Lawyers’ flash mob in green t-shirts

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms a couple of weeks ago, lawyers and other members of the legal community in Ottawa organized a flash mob and danced a choreographed piece wearing bright green t-shirts.

Other flash mobs were organized all over Canada by the Canadian Bar Association. If you want to learn the dance routine, click and enjoy. 🙂

You can read more about the event here.

Who says the legal profession is stuffy?

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By the way, here is the Wordnik definition of ‘flash mob’, just in case you need it: http://www.wordnik.com/words/flashmob