One of the benefits of living in a democratic country with
a well-established judicial system is the opportunity to use
the courts to achieve justice and set wrongs right.
But there is a drawback -- some folks go to court about things
that make most of us shake our heads. Take a look at
these odd cases and judge for yourself.
 A Hooter's waitress received a new Toyota as a settlement. |
1. All Toys Are Not Equal
Jodee Berry, a Hooter's waitress in Florida, won the restaurant's sales contest and thought she'd just won the new Toyota that her bosses said the champion would get. The prize was actually a toy Yoda, not a Toyota, so she left her job and sued the franchisee for breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation. The force was with Berry: The out-of-court settlement in May 2002 allowed her to pick out any Toyota car she wanted.
2. Fingered as a Scam
In March 2005, Ann Ayala filed a claim against a Wendy's franchise owner, asserting that she had found a fingertip in a bowl of chili. But authorities found no evidence of missing fingers at the accused restaurant. Suspicion turned on Ayala, who dropped the suit when reporters discovered that she had previously accused several other companies of wrongdoing.
3. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
In July 2004, two teenage girls in Colorado baked cookies and delivered them to their neighbors. But the door-knocking apparently scared Wanita Young, who had an anxiety attack, went to the hospital, and sued the girls' families. A local judge awarded Young almost $900 for medical expenses but denied her half-baked demand for nearly $3,000 in itemized expenses, including lost wages and new motion-sensor lights for her porch.
If you think these lawsuits are outrageous, then you certainly will enjoy the litigation described on the next page.
