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Fed Ex Pot, Yoko Ono, Chubby Checker, Mold & Other Courtroom Dramas

May 28, 2013

I do a monthly cartoon illustration for Inside Counsel Magazine. They send me short summaries of four unusual lawsuits, I do a rough sketch for each, they pick the one they like best.

Here are the winners and also-rans for the past two months:BlankVertSpace.8pixels

A woman sued Fed Ex after they mistakenly delivered a package containing marijuana to her home. She turned it over to police, but three men later came to her house looking for the package. She says Fed Ex endangered her family and violated her privacy by giving the men her name and address.

strange lawsuit involving Fed Ex delivering package of marijuana to home, woman thought birthday present for daughter, drug dealers showed up looking for package; dogs pointing to package held by Fed Ex delivery man in witness box, judge with large pipe asking for marijuana, jury members smoking marijuana and getting high

A couple rented their home to a man who didn’t tell them he planned to use it to film a raunchy reality show. They couple sued for damages to house and property, including a badly stained couch. strange lawsuit couple rented home to reality sex show producer, house and furniture ruined, couple in courtroom sitting on top of stained couch, jury members spraying Lysol and air freshener trying to kill bacteria and germs

A fashion designer sued Yoko Ono for allegedly stealing her idea for a fetish theme: clothing with illustrated handprints on the crotch and chest areas.  strange lawsuit fashion designer sued Yoko Ono for stealing fetish fashion idea handprints over crotches and breasts, Yoko on stand wearing dark glasses, lawyer and judge wearing clothes covered with hand prints, jury members with dirty hands leaving hand prints on jury box

Actor Jude Law sued a Canadian fireplace company for allegedly using his likeness to promote its products.strange lawsuit actor Jude Law sued fireplace company for using his image without permission, Jude on stand, judge's bench as fireplace with mantle and stovepipe, lawyer toasting marshmallow, judge wear gas masks, jurors frightened by smoke puffs that look like Jude Law's face

The rough sketch for the Fed Ex pot delivery case:
rough sketch for strange lawsuit involving Fed Ex delivering package of marijuana to home, woman thought birthday present for daughter, drug dealers showed up looking for package; dogs pointing to package held by Fed Ex delivery man in witness box, judge with large pipe asking for marijuana, jury members smoking marijuana and getting high

A Wal-mart employee sued the store and the Hershey Candy Company after eating a moldy candy bar on her break. She says the candy bar was nine months past its expiration date.strange lawsuit about Wal-Mart employee who ate moldy Mr. Goodbar candy bar, got sick, and sued, lawyer holding wand of mold detector checking sleeping judge for mold, witness and jury eating candy bars and getting sick

Singer Chubby Checker, known for his hit record The Twist, sued Hewlett-Packard over a smartphone app called The Chubby Checker. The app, which is no longer available, claimed to estimate the length of a man’s penis by his shoe size.strange lawsuit involving Chubby Checker smartphone app which estimates male genitalia size, Chubby in witness box, lawyer dancing with Learn To Twist book, judge and male jury members with smartphones looking worried about penis size

A pharmacist sued Rite Aid after the store fired him for refusing to give immunization injections, despite a letter from his doctor testifying to his extreme needle phobia. He says the store made no effort to accommodate his disability.
strange lawsuit Rite Aid pharmacist afraid of needles fired because he refused to give flu immunization shots, lawyer with big needle and bottle of truth serum, judge shielding himself with umbrella, witness and jury sweating profusely at sight of needle

Figure skater Oksana Baiul sued NBC Universal and a skating promoter for allegedly using her name and likeness to promote a television skating special in which she declined to appear.

The promoter claims she had asked to be in the show and backed out, and that she was never featured in promotional materials for the show. strange suit figure skater Oksana Baiul sued NBC for using her name without her permission to promote a tv skating special, lawyer skating in courtroom with ice rink floor, jury members fishing thru holes in ice, judge and jury throwing octopus onto ice

The rough sketch for the moldy candy bar case:rough sketch for strange lawsuit about Wal-Mart employee who ate moldy Mr. Goodbar candy bar, got sick, and sued, lawyer holding wand of mold detector checking sleeping judge for mold, witness and jury eating candy bars and getting sick

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Does this post make you want to sue someone so you can join in the fun?

Was Stephen Sondheim thinking of lawsuits when he wrote Send In The Clowns?

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36 Comments leave one →
  1. May 28, 2013 10:10 AM

    Definitely weird cases 😀 hilarious 🙂

    Like

    • May 30, 2013 9:36 PM

      Ha! Did anyone ever tell you you have a wonderful sense of humor?? Well, I’m telling you now!! Thanks, Vandy!! : )

      Like

  2. Margie permalink
    May 28, 2013 10:50 AM

    I’m not sure which is funnier – the situations or your cartoons!

    Like

    • May 30, 2013 8:46 PM

      Ha! Yes, there seems to be a symbiotic relationship there. I couldn’t do it without them, and they always seem to get the wheels turning. And when you’ve got wheels as rusty as mine, that’s a good thing!! Thanks, Margie! : )

      Like

  3. May 28, 2013 3:12 PM

    I can’t believe FedEx gave them her address!!! Geez louise! If they would’ve come my way, Ms. Ruby would have taken care of business:-) I’ll bet your client has a tough time deciding which of your illustrations to use. How can they pick???

    Like

    • May 30, 2013 9:01 PM

      Bad guys knockin’ on the door of The World’s Most Vigilant Canine Corps?? They’d be leaving minus a few trouser seats, I reckon– and good riddance!! : )

      This might interest you: I’ve learned over the years that the folks at Inside Counsel tend to pick cartoons with animals in them. I don’t really think about that when I work out the ideas, but more often than not, at least one of the cartoons will include an animal. I remember doing one once with a knight on the witness stand– the art director said they loved it because there was a dragon on the jury! I guess even mythological animals count!!

      Thanks as always for your support, Tracey! : )

      Like

  4. May 28, 2013 3:16 PM

    What a good post! Very interesting/funny to read.

    Like

    • May 30, 2013 9:04 PM

      Thank you very much for that lovely comment, Esmee. I’m glad you enjoyed the post, and I’m delighted you stopped by– hope to see you again! : )

      Like

  5. May 28, 2013 6:34 PM

    Funny as usual!

    I am sorry for not having been around lately, Mark. I’ll try to catch up your articles. 🙂

    Like

    • May 30, 2013 9:08 PM

      Not at all, Inge, it’s a delight to see you anytime– always a special treat. I’m sure you’ve been busy taking those wonderful photos of yours, and hopefully picking up many prizes for same!! No pressure whatsoever, always glad to see you! : )

      Like

  6. May 28, 2013 9:04 PM

    Okay, my vote for the most frivolous lawsuit is the Yoko Ono one. No one (well-mannered) wants to listen about a *cough* handjob or how the designer should get a grip, instead of a grope…

    Like

    • May 30, 2013 9:12 PM

      Hmm… I could be wrong, but I think there might have been a little wordplay going on in that comment, Jak… : )

      Ha! I hear you. Hopefully one of those hands will grab Yoko by the collar and deposit her in the nearest celebrity wastebasket, cough, cough!

      Thanks a heap for your good-humored support, sir!

      Like

  7. May 28, 2013 11:43 PM

    I learn so much about current events when I come here, Mark! Great job with the cartoons. I’m picking a favorite. I love the Fed Ex one. 🙂

    Like

    • May 30, 2013 9:19 PM

      Ha! Current events indeed, Maddie! Strange, the things singled out for news coverage these days, eh? If that’s their criteria, they’ll be writing about us next… : P

      I kinda like the Fed Ex one myself– I shoulda made Inside Counsel sign for it… : )

      Great to see you, I don’t mind all these (cough!) motorcycle fumes (hack, hack!)– really!! : )

      Like

  8. May 29, 2013 11:28 AM

    These are great must share with the many lawyers in my family!!! And everyone else who wants a chuckle

    Like

    • May 30, 2013 9:21 PM

      You’re gonna show them to lawyers?? Ulp! I may be appearing in a future lawsuit myself… : (

      I know you’ll explain that it was all in, er, good fun. Nice to see you, thanks so much for stopping by! : )

      Like

  9. May 29, 2013 6:23 PM

    So, sue me. But I think your illustrations are beyond compare. My fave is the Fed Ex cartoon. Great work, Mark.

    Like

    • May 30, 2013 1:34 PM

      What?? You liked this post so much you’re giving me an award?? My trophy case is bursting at the seams, but there’s always room for one more… : )

      I’m too lazy to answer the seven questions, but I do have a post about My 7 Dark Secrets. Absolutely bone-chilling, don’t say I didn’t warn you… : )

      Thank you, Carmen!!

      Like

  10. May 30, 2013 4:11 PM

    Your posts, sketches and illustrations always put a smile on my face! You’re a star Mark, thanks for sharing! 🙂

    Like

    • May 31, 2013 8:31 PM

      There’s a big smile on my face after reading that wonderful comment, Seyi– maybe you and I should start a club!!

      Thanks so much for all your good humor and support!! : )

      Like

  11. May 31, 2013 9:17 AM

    Best post of the day – but then it is only 9 am! Did these ever have me smiling. Thanks Mark 😀 your humour is second to none.

    Like

    • May 31, 2013 7:55 PM

      Ah! A wonderful comment like that, and I’m good for the rest of the day! I know you retweeted it, too. Thanks a million, Lesley, very sincerely appreciated! : )

      Like

      • May 31, 2013 7:57 PM

        Sincerely my pleasure. You are a bit of a genius you know. Not everyone is able to appreciate your humour but I really do. (Don’t let it go to your head now 😉

        Like

        • June 1, 2013 7:27 AM

          Genius… yes, I’m nodding here– yes, that sounds right… : P

          My head is starting to balloon, and I had too much air up there already– I must pull on my ear and open the safety valve. Ssssssssttt! Ah, that’s better… : )

          Thank you, my dear Lesley!!

          Like

  12. June 2, 2013 8:49 AM

    Actually some of these frivolous court cases make me wince– people want justice but when they lose the case they might have to pay their lawyer (provided he/she didn’t do their work for free) and that could be enough money.

    Like

    • June 10, 2013 10:37 AM

      Ha! Thanks, Jean. I’ve often wondered about that myself: do any of the people who file suit consider that it might wind up costing them money if they lose? It would be interesting to see some kind of won-lost scorecard on these cases.

      Nice to see you, thanks so much for your kind support! : )

      Like

  13. June 5, 2013 4:06 PM

    That first case reminds me of a movie that came out a few years ago, Next Day Air. A parcel of drugs is delivered to the wrong address. Mayhem pursues. Funny but scary as hell.

    Like

    • June 10, 2013 10:46 AM

      Whoa! That does sound like that first case. I don’t mind comedic mayhem, but I definitely prefer the kind associated with, say, The Three Stooges. Yes, I guess I’m a sophisticate… : P

      Thanks for stopping by, Edwina! : )

      Like

  14. June 6, 2013 2:22 PM

    Of course as always, I enjoyed all of them 😉 xoxo

    Like

    • June 10, 2013 10:39 AM

      Too kind, too kind, my dear Dolly! As always, I appreciate your lovely comments– mmmmmwahh! : )

      Like

  15. June 11, 2013 5:55 AM

    Hey Mark, was’nt ‘blogging’ for a while. OMG – you’ve been really productiv! Awesome court pic’s , you made me smile. Read in your comments that pictures with animails on sale better. Isn’t it sometimes to exasperate? Put something cute on – people buy it….

    Like

    • June 11, 2013 3:44 PM

      Me? Productive?? Gosh! Now that’s something I’m rarely accused of– I like it!! : )

      Say, you’re right: people always buy cute things!! I’m going to start putting my face on all my drawings– that way I can sell everything and make a fortune!! Many thanks for that wonderful idea, Tutti!! : )

      Like

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