A Peek at October’s Strange Court Cases
Sometimes strange things happen in the courtroom. In honor of the month of October, here are some of our four favorite Strange Court Cases from this month:
- The Battle of the Grave – The month of Halloween brought the end of a court case involving the great American athlete Jim Thorpe. He did not have much to say in the matter, since he passed away in 1953 and was laid to rest in a town of his namesake, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. His sons fought to have him moved to his birthplace in Oklahoma based on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. An appeals court ruled this month that this motion did not fit the intent of the law because it was written to return disturbed remains. So, Jim Thorpe, for now, will stay in Jim Thorpe.
- The Cocky Royal – A Romanian Princess and her husband were recently sentenced in Oregon for running a cockfighting ring. Their punishment is to pay back $200,000 and serve probation. Irina Walker is fifth in line for the Romanian Throne.
- The Grass Isn’t Always Greener – Your Homeowner’s Association has nothing on Lenoir City, Tennessee, where a woman was sentenced to jail time for her messy yard. The judge originally gave her six days in the can, but later lessened that to six hours.
- The Iceman’s Wallpaper – Even Val Kilmer can’t escape a lease agreement. After adding wallpaper and other unauthorized improvements to his rental property, his landlord withheld more than $7,000 from his deposit. A small claims court in California heard the case and said they will send a letter. We are guessing this one will go in the landlord’s favor. And that Mr. Kilmer will read the fine print next time.
Even in the most routine cases, the court system can be difficult to navigate for most people. We want to help. Contact Schiavone Law for a very normal (and free) consultation.
If you thought that was strange, wait until you read about Crazy Laws in Georgia.