Two Girls Sued for Baking Cookies/Problems with U.S. Justice System

[Tigervx]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=Teal][URL=http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~2691638,00.html#]Read here[/URL]

Alright... Now this is just ridiculous. I mean, two girls decide not to party and get drunk and maybe even do drug. Instead they want to bake cookies for the neighbours and be nice. Well guess what, apparently now you can't be nice =P. It just seems absurd now that anybody can sue everybody for anything in America! For god sakes, they're being sued for being nice. How does that even work? This all just seems crazy.

These days, you can sue coffee for being too hot, or for even braking into someones house! I remeber a case where a man broke into someones house through the sun roof, and when he fell on the kitchen counter, there was a knife and it cut his foot. And he won! I mean, its that person house, he/she should be able to do whatever he/she wants with it, how would this guy even win a case like this? Man the judicial system is crazy now.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[Baron Samedi]

[size=1]That is seriously screwed. And the woman who continued with the action against the two girls must be a right old hag.

~_^ Maybe that's taking it too far, but seriously, I think somebody needs to do something with the justice system.[/size]

[Morpheus]

It seems like you want to make more of a "Stupid reasons for suing" thread over one about the girls, so here are a few:

Case:Mugger sued taxi driver that pinned him to the wall during a crime
Verdict: $24,000

Case:Convenience store worker sues store over injuries to her back involving opening a pickle jar.
Verdict: originally 2,999,066, reviewed to 2,200,000.

[DeadSeraphim]

[COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial]*picks his favourite bits out of the article*[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE] The girls wrote letters of apology to Young. Taylor's letter, written a few days after the episode, said in part: "I didn't realize this would cause trouble for you. ... I just wanted you to know that someone cared about you and your family."

The families had offered to pay Young's medical bills if she would agree to indemnify the families against future claims.

Young wouldn't sign the agreement. She said the families' apologies rang false and weren't delivered in person. The matter went to court.[/QUOTE]
[COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial]That disturbs me most, heh. They were obviously freaking out about it, and she turns down their apology and [i]sues them[/i]? Smooth one.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE] Young said she believes that the girls should not have been running from door to door late at night.

"Something bad could have happened to them," she said.[/QUOTE]
[COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial]Not only are the people in question [U]17 and 18[/U], but they had parental permission, and this woman was the only one NOT to enjoy the treat. Seems like she's just covering her *** with that statement, lol.

And yeah, lol. You know, I've never heard about something like this happening outside of the US of A. Makes you think. :p[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[2010DigitalBoy]

Okay, I was thinking of starting to be a nice person, but this makes me just want to avoid other people completely. Of course, it's nice to know that I can sue people for something like that... :devil:

[Manic Webb]

In all fairness, the girls shouldn't have delivered the cookies at 9pm. It was dark, and that was really a bad time to pull this little stunt. No one expects to see baked goods at their doorstep at 10:30 at night. They should've done it during broad daylight... or at least waited at the door and handed her the cookies themselves.

However, what caught me was how the [strike]old bitty[/strike] "victim" refused to accept their letter of apology, or their offer to pay for her hospital bills. Then when she won the lawsuit, she had the nerve to say she hoped the girls learned a lesson. It's like she missed the entire point of the cookies and the letter of apology. That, or she was trying to save face after the media confronted her about suing 2 teenaged girls for giving her cookies.

[Delta]

[COLOR=#B33D79][SIZE=1]
Hey, hey! It's Mr. Scrooge's wife! She should hawk her image to movie studios and demand that she be given the part of Eminem's mom in his next movie. Easy role to play and she could reap more dinero capitalizing on her attitude.

[Quote]The judge said that he didn't think the girls acted maliciously but that it was pretty late at night for them to be out.[/quote] Well I guess somebody should sue them kids who were at the school dance then. :rolleyes:

BTW, did she eat the cookies? Perhaps she was lactose-intolerant and the cookies did something to upset her stomach
[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Charles]

When I read this yesterday my initial impression went along with many of yours. But, now that I've had time to fully reflect on the issue, I agree with Manic.

[quote name='Manic Webb']In all fairness, the girls shouldn't have delivered the cookies at 9pm. It was dark, and that was really a bad time to pull this little stunt. No one expects to see baked goods at their doorstep at 10:30 at night. They should've done it during broad daylight... or at least waited at the door and handed her the cookies themselves.[/quote]

I'm not familiar with all my neighbors; most are strangers to me despite the relatively close proximity of our homes. In a close-knit community a gesture such as this would be feasible, but delivering food to strangers past dark for no [B]apparent[/B] reason is odd despite their honorable intentions. I personally wouldn't eat food prepared by strangers that was randomly left on my porch. Even if I do love cookies.

Their refusal to answer the woman's call was bound to rouse suspicion too. It's common sense to announce your presence if someone sounds startled. Especially considering the hour of their visit.

However, for what it's worth, I don't believe the woman's story. An anxiety attack the next day? Sorry. That doesn't fly with me. She's obviously just a scam artist who's quick to sue. There should have been no reparations. They should have just promised not to make any further cookie deliveries to her. *shrug*

[Engel]

[color=darkred][size=1]That, my friends, is simply appaling. How do you sue someone for giving you a basket of cookies? These people should be given citizenship awards, not a subpoena. People overreact nowadays.

My cousin had her DVD player, PS2, TV, Jewlery, and various other items stolen from her house. So she got her dad's 9mm. Police Issue pistol and shot him in the leg. He sued her and won.

The checks and balances in place for the US judicial system need to be revised, at least I think so. [/color][/size]

[Morpheus]

Our justice system is screwed up. Please post your examples of holes in the justice system.

My mother was on the jury for a man with 3 death sentences and 5 life sentences. He literally killed to live. Every murder got him 6 months in the court room instead of in the ground. He needed to be executed, but he has to go to every trial and get every verdict before he dies. He'll probably die during a trial, awaiting his 50th death sentence.

That's a problem we need to fix. He doesn't need to go to every trial, he needs to be shot. I'm sure the victims families feel the same.

[Sara]

[color=#ff6600]Morpheus, I am going to merge this with the [i]other[/i] thread started tonight about the justice system, if you don't mind. ^_~

I like to believe that people are all relatively sane, agreeable, and at least able to be reasoned with. Things like this just bother me. I don't understand how these things even happen. Are people really that petty? That she refused to settle the situation outside of court boggles my mind.

And the other situations are also...meh. The case about the burglar who sued has come up in conversation around here a few times in the last week. I've actually heard a few slightly different versions--if anyone is aware of where I can find the actual story, I'd like to be informed.

gerund-loving,
Sara[/color]

[wiccansamurai]

I'm gonna respond to Morpheus's thread.

When my uncle was murdered (In a very violent, gruesome way I won't even describe. I cried the first time my sister told me exactly what happened. Hell, I just started crying now thinking about how they killed him.) they sent only one of the three people to jail who did it, because they only had suffecient evidence on her. A 40 year old women killed my 30 year uncle alone? Anyway, by a few years, she was out of jail on parol. Seriously, its only been about 6 years since it happened, and she's been out for a while. I find that just... it makes me loose faith in our judicial system.

[Baron Samedi]

[size=1][quote name='Charles']When I read this yesterday my initial impression went along with many of yours. But, now that I've had time to fully reflect on the issue, I agree with Manic.[/quote]
Maybe they shouldn't have been doing it that late, maybe they should have answered her calls. But they obviously wanted it to be a nice surprise... which is why they signed it the 'T & L Club', without using their names.

I think the real problem is that the [strike]crabby old hag[/strike]... lady, refused to accept an apology, and took them to court. [b]Successfully[/b]. I think there should be a group of people elected to review every court-case and [b]throw out the dumb ones[/b].[/size]

[Panda]

That is just sad. I can understand her being a bit concerned over the cookies, but taking them to court. She may have won in court but I am sure this lady won't be invited to any neighborhood BBQ's!

On the topic of the bizarre nature of the judical system I have a perfect example. One of my close friend's lost her father because he was hit by a drunk driver. Her dad was out jogging and was hit by a drunk in a pick-up truck. The man had 3 previous DWI's and his license suspended. When that jerk hit my friend's dad it broke the side mirror off of his truck. The drunk ended up taking off. My friend's dad ended up on the side of the road in a ditch, too far off the road to be seen by passing cars. When they found him he had bled to death. From what we understand they said if he would of had help right away he would be alive today. But because he didn't get help right away, he died.

The grand total of the drunk guy's stay in prison for killing a man, hit-and-run, DWI, DWLS and who knows how many other crimes? An entire 6 months.

It just makes you sick doesn't it.

[ukoku]

Well, the exact same topic came up in another forum I go(no, not the girls and the cookies part, the justice part)

I'm not from U.S., so I'll just recite what one of the people said because it bothers me so
A man put a fire insurance on his cigarettes, but within a few weeks, before the insurance company had finished all the paperwork and stuff like that, that man had already used up those cigarettes. He sued the insurance company...and won

[Solo Tremaine]

[QUOTE=ukoku]Well, the exact same topic came up in another forum I go(no, not the girls and the cookies part, the justice part)

I'm not from U.S., so I'll just recite what one of the people said because it bothers me so
A man put a fire insurance on his cigarettes, but within a few weeks, before the insurance company had finished all the paperwork and stuff like that, that man had already used up those cigarettes. He sued the insurance company...and won[/QUOTE][COLOR=#503F86]I heard about that one; the insurance company then sued the man afterwards for the willful destruction of insured property or something like that to get their money back. Either way, it's a ridiculous waste of money to have to go through a fiasco like that just because someone wants to try and get filthy rich.

As far as I'm concerned, I think if someone's willing to break the law then they should have no legal standpoint with which to sue their victims. Human rights I can understand, but they shouldn't then be able to use the legal system that they seemed so eager to break to their own advantage afterwards.[/COLOR]

[Gavin]

[SIZE=1]I really have to agree with Josh's first comments, this is without a doubt one of my most screwed up things I've ever read about, and that woman would have to be one absolute [Can't think of a work mean enough] to sue them. It really does make me question the nature of the justice system over in the U.S., as these kind of cases seem to be becoming more and more heard of. [/SIZE]

[DoctorCox]

[QUOTE=ukoku]Well, the exact same topic came up in another forum I go(no, not the girls and the cookies part, the justice part)

I'm not from U.S., so I'll just recite what one of the people said because it bothers me so
A man put a fire insurance on his cigarettes, but within a few weeks, before the insurance company had finished all the paperwork and stuff like that, that man had already used up those cigarettes. He sued the insurance company...and won[/QUOTE]

I'm not trying to claim that insurance companies are smart (or that the justice system isn't screwed up... because it is), but I cannot believe that any sane insurance company would insure a pack of cigarettes.

Furthermore, even if they did insure the cigarettes (which I found doubtful), I suspect that the man smoking them himself would cause the insurance company to not be liable to pay him reparations. Was he suing because they refused to pay? What lawyer would ever take that case?

If you could supply more information about this case, that would be... nice.

[Manic Webb]

*sigh*

I thought the case of the insured cigarettes sounded familiar. Check out this [url=http://www.snopes.com/crime/clever/cigarson.asp][color=blue]Urban Legend[/color][/url] of a man who insured his cigars.

[quote name='Snopes.com']This legend began its Internet life after it was posted to the newsgroup alt.smokers.cigars in early 1996, and it has continued to circulate as a "true story" in newsgroups and e-mail ever since, despite its having been identified as an "urban legend" when it was first posted. The version posted was, in fact, nearly identical to one that has been circulating since at least the mid-1960s[/quote]

[DoctorCox]

[QUOTE=Manic Webb]*sigh*

I thought the case of the insured cigarettes sounded familiar. Check out this [url=http://www.snopes.com/crime/clever/cigarson.asp][color=blue]Urban Legend[/color][/url] of a man who insured his cigars.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for that link, Manic Webb. It did sound suspiciously like an urban legend - one that people like to believe is true and therefore tell all their friends. And, of course, no one checks the validity of the story.

The same thing happened with me recently with the BonsaiKitten website - an amazing satire that passes itself off as a company that will help you make a cat in the shape of whatever bottle you want to grow it in. (Essentially they claim that a newborn cat can be placed in a bottle and will grow, the bones shaping themselves to the contours of the bottle.) I recieved several 'chain' emails before I looked it up myself, immediately discovered its falseness, and began emailing people back.

[Lord Rannos]

While I agree that it may not have been the best decision for the girls to drop off cookies late, I think that the (no pussyfooting around here) old hag crossed the line when she didn't accept the apologies and sued over it.

Here's another great one: there are lawyers running around the U.S. suing small businesses for technicalities based on handicap laws. Stuff like their toilets being 6 inches from the wall instead of 7. One strip club got sued because there were stairs leading up to the "private" rooms and no other way to get up.

The legal system annoys me. People can't possibly have long enough sentences if they ever get back out after killing someone. I apologize if their's anyone who had a DWI, but I think that if you get one, you shouldn't be allowed to drive. It's as simple as that.

[TheShinje]

I think I've seen it all now.

It is ludicrous that this mean old lady has the nerve to refuse the apology, take her complaint to court, and win. All in the name of teaching the girls a lesson. This lesson has obviously been learned when you take the apology letter into account, how any sane judicial system can overlook that, I don't know.

The only lesson to be learnt here, is, partying into the night drinking and using drugs will land you in far less trouble than baking a treat for an old granny.

[Pumpkin]

[QUOTE=DoctorCox]Thanks for that link, Manic Webb. It did sound suspiciously like an urban legend - one that people like to believe is true and therefore tell all their friends. And, of course, no one checks the validity of the story.

The same thing happened with me recently with the BonsaiKitten website - an amazing satire that passes itself off as a company that will help you make a cat in the shape of whatever bottle you want to grow it in. (Essentially they claim that a newborn cat can be placed in a bottle and will grow, the bones shaping themselves to the contours of the bottle.) I recieved several 'chain' emails before I looked it up myself, immediately discovered its falseness, and began emailing people back.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE=1] Lmao. That "Bonsaikitten" site has been around for centuries, I too in middle school, thought it was real once I looked up about it. It's a prank by a group of college guys, that like to upset people. Kind of funny after you think about it. The cookie story though...is sad. Now most people are going to get mad at me, but yes I've delivered cookies to my neighbour's house before. Maybe not the way they did but still. And no that lady isn't that old, she's 40 years old. An anxiety attack over cookies? yeah right. Sounds like she was looking for a way to get a few bucks for her new purse. And so what if you want to deliver cookies at night, I'm sorry. But if she had a problem, she should have talked to them first. This makes me not want to talk to my neighbors anymore, I swear getting sued for the stupidest things. Thank god I live next to younger people. I hope they don't "Sue" me for the cookies I gave them. Geesh. [/SIZE]

[Chaos]

[QUOTE=Baron Samedi][size=1]
I think there should be a group of people elected to review every court-case and [b]throw out the dumb ones[/b].[/size][/QUOTE]


There are. Court magistrates, anyone?

That's what really worries me. That someone, who gets paid to decide on the fate of a trial based on it's valitidity, actually sent this case to an actual coutroom.

I have to say, even if the girls shouldn't have been out that late, even if they shouldn't have been going door to door, even if this happened a thousand times, this is ******* stupid. There is no other way to explain it other than people are just retarded.

What kind of idiot thief knocks on the damn door he's about to rob? What kind of disgruntled neighbor who wants retribution for some horrid deed in the past runs off the second he hears your voice? What kind of villainous fiend leaves COOKIES ON YOUR DOORSTEP WITH A HEART-SHAPED LETTER?

And what kind of moron has a panic attack for several days over a basket of home-baked treats?

Stupidest. *****. Ever.

And what judge in his right mind would actually waste time, resources, and tax-payer money on something as enragingly foolish as this? He should have been thrown out of office for even considering this as a crime worthy of stepping foot in a courtroom.

[/end_rant]

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[quote]"The victory wasn't sweet," Young said Thursday afternoon. "I'm not gloating about it. I just hope the girls learned a lesson."[/quote]

[color=darkviolet]Yeah I'm sure they learned their lesson, never do anything nice for people, it only gets you sued. Heck, if you stop to help someone on the road you can get sued.

This whole thing makes me mentally and physically sick because these girls are being sued for doing something nice (although, yeah maybe they should have done it earlier) yet child molestors can get off becuase there 'isn't enough evidence'.

That happened with my husband's cousin and her brother and sister. Her brother's father had sexually molested her, her older sister and her brother for a number of years along with a few other kids, yet since he used his other son's death as an excuse for the deaths, the judge decided that they couldn't put him away or even give him probation because it was decided that there wasn't enough proof.

This country's judicial system is going to hell and that old crab is driving the bus.[/color]