eDiscovery, legal research and legal memo creation - ready to be sent to your counterparty? Get it done in a heartbeat with AI. (Get started for free)
What real-life examples are there of crazy arguments that surprisingly ended up working in favor of the proponent?
The "Pantaloons Lawsuit": In 2005, a judge ruled against a customer who sued a dry cleaner for $54 million for allegedly misplacing his pants, and ordered him to pay the dry cleaner's legal fees.
The "McSleepy" Defense: In 2009, a man in California claimed he was asleep while driving and not responsible for a fatal car crash; he was acquitted of manslaughter.
The "Sleepwalking" Defense: In 1987, a Canadian man was acquitted of murder after claiming he was sleepwalking when he killed his wife.
The "Affluenza" Defense: In 2013, a teenager in Texas claimed that his wealthy upbringing made him unaware of the consequences of his actions, including a fatal drunk-driving accident; he received a lenient sentence.
The "Black Rage" Defense: In 1973, an African American man in Louisiana claimed he was driven to murder by years of racial oppression and was acquitted by reason of insanity.
The "Twinkie Defense": In 1979, Dan White used the "Twinkie Defense" to claim that his consumption of junk food, including Twinkies, contributed to his depression and diminished capacity, leading to a reduced sentence for murdering San Francisco Mayor George Moscone.
The "Abuse-Excuse" Defense: In 1991, a woman in Florida claimed that her abusive husband drove her to kill him, and was acquitted of murder.
In 2013, a man in Kansas City claimed he was possessed by a demon when he murdered his wife and was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
The "Geezer Defense": In 2011, a 75-year-old man in Florida claimed that his age and declining physical abilities made him unable to commit a burglary, and was acquitted.
The "Automatism" Defense: In 1955, a Canadian man claimed he was in a state of automatism, similar to sleepwalking, when he killed his wife and was acquitted of murder.
The "Caffeine Defense": In 2011, a man in California claimed that a caffeine overdose caused him to become violent and led to a fatal car crash; he was convicted of manslaughter.
The "Choking Game" Defense: In 2012, a teenager in Oregon claimed that he accidentally killed his friend while playing a choking game, and was acquitted of murder.
The "Gypsy Curse" Defense: In 2002, a woman in Romania claimed that a gypsy curse drove her to murder her husband, and was acquitted by reason of insanity.
The "Werewolf" Defense: In 2009, a man in Norway claimed that he was possessed by a werewolf spirit when he murdered a friend, and was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
The "PMS" Defense: In 1991, a woman in the UK claimed that her premenstrual syndrome (PMS) drove her to kill her lover, and was acquitted of murder.
eDiscovery, legal research and legal memo creation - ready to be sent to your counterparty? Get it done in a heartbeat with AI. (Get started for free)