quote:Originally posted by Fat Cramer: If somebody opposing me in a court case put a voodoo hex on me, could I claim that they're interfering with my right to a fair trial? (Hasn't happened, but I was reading that sometimes dead chickens are placed on courthouse steps to influence a trial, according to voodoo beliefs.)
You would have to show causation. i.e that the voodoo hex actually interferred with your right to a fair trial.
-------------------- Five billion years from now the Sun will go nova and obliterate the Earth. Don't sweat the small stuff!
From: Boston | Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Kent Shakespeare: Voodoo helps my cases in court; I haven't gotten a speeding ticket that's stuck since 1991!
a lot of officers miss traffic court due to stomach cramps, if you get my drift.
I recommend a houngan even over an attorney.
PFFFFFTTT!!!!!! An attorney could get you money for the harassment. I mean, you must be suffering a lot of trauma from being stopped like that.
-------------------- Five billion years from now the Sun will go nova and obliterate the Earth. Don't sweat the small stuff!
From: Boston | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
For the victims of Kent's houngan, there is real harm i.e. stomach cramps (or worse?) - but if the court system doesn't believe in voodoo, and attributes the damage to other factors, there can't be any relief. It seems to me it's bordering on a religious belief question, but while there may be freedom of religion in the U.S., I don't know how the courts would be set up to handle something like this. They just don't deal with it? Or if you could prove that someone hired a houngan to curse you, could that person be charged with threatening or trying to harm you in general?
You are correct in that it is a matter of whether the trier of facts (i.e. the jury and only the judge if there is no jury) believes in your version of causation. That is that the curse caused the stomach cramps. If the jury is ull of those who practice voodoo, you might have a shot.
Now you might have a better chance of proving intentional infliction of emotional distress. That is that the person knows you believe in voodoo and did this to cause you emotional pain.
-------------------- Five billion years from now the Sun will go nova and obliterate the Earth. Don't sweat the small stuff!
From: Boston | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
Well, I was curious and did some searches, and there are quite a few cases at the federal level involving charges of voodoo - so I guess Judge Judy would have to take it on if it came before her. I just read through a few quickly, in one a judge called it "nonsense", in another, sprinkling 'voodoo' powder in front of someone's office was considered a crime - because it was an unknown powder, in the context of post 9/11 anthrax scares - so the judge wasn't saying he believed in voodoo per se, just that the act was irresponsible and had caused harm.
posted
Being forced to miss 'Smallville' for traffic court is also irresponsible and causes me harm. Can I sue the cops and the courts?
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada | Registered: Dec 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Kent Shakespeare: Being forced to miss 'Smallville' for traffic court is also irresponsible and causes me harm. Can I sue the cops and the courts?
You can always sue. That doesn't mean that you'll be sucessful or not subject to a frivilous lawsuit charge.
-------------------- Five billion years from now the Sun will go nova and obliterate the Earth. Don't sweat the small stuff!
From: Boston | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
I'd sure like to have a law passed that would prevent sporting events and TV shows from being edited for no good reason (apart from the World Trade Center bombing - now THAT was a shocker, all right...)
From: Adelaide, Australia | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by legionadventureman: I'd sure like to have a law passed that would prevent sporting events and TV shows from being edited for no good reason (apart from the World Trade Center bombing - now THAT was a shocker, all right...)
Write your legislators then.
I am not sure how it would work in Austrailia, but any such law here in the US would be ruled unconstitional as interferring with the free speech rights of the broadcasters.
-------------------- Five billion years from now the Sun will go nova and obliterate the Earth. Don't sweat the small stuff!
From: Boston | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
NOTICE: The law offices are temporarily closed.
Feel free to leave a message. It will be answered as soon as possible. However, the definition of "as soon as possible" could mean weeks or months.
-------------------- Five billion years from now the Sun will go nova and obliterate the Earth. Don't sweat the small stuff!
From: Boston | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
I don't recall authorizing a this closure, so you'd better be surprising me with a grand tour of the great thrift shops of North America or something.
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
I say we LWers consider a class-action lawsuit against the closure of this office!
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada | Registered: Dec 2003
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Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
So, this guy in a turban sold me this "magic flute" for $25 which he claimed could tame animals by playing it. As it turns out, the supposed "magic flute" was just a toy that he'd paid ten cents for at a toy store. Now, I'm not entirely sure how he made any profit off this sale, since I'm guessing the tranquilizer that he used to fake the effect of taming wild animals must have cost more than the $25 off it. Anyway, what exactly can I do about this?
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
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