If you think that the world feels stupid these days, I’m with you. I often think we as a species are getting stupider all the time, but then I look at some of the weirder legals stories from decades past and I start to think stupidity is a chronic human affliction. This week on Weird and Wacky Wednesdays we’re looking at three peculiar cases which tend to suggest we’ve been stupid for at least a few decades: an inmate who sued himself, a debate over the definition of a sandwich, and an individual who attempted to copyright the Sun.
The Inmate Who Sued Himself
In 1995, Robert Lee Brock, an inmate at the Indian Creek Correctional Center in Virginia, embarked on a legal journey that left many scratching their heads. Brock filed a lawsuit against himself for $5 million, claiming that his own actions while intoxicated had violated his civil rights and religious beliefs. His reasoning? By getting drunk and committing the crimes that led to his incarceration, he had infringed upon his own rights. However, recognizing his inability to pay such a sum, he requested that the state pay on his behalf, given his status as a ward of the state. Unsurprisingly, the court dismissed the lawsuit as frivolous, with the judge noting the absurdity of the claim.
Brock, Robert Lee. “Inmate Sues Himself for $5 Million.” Deseret News, 9 April 1995, https://www.deseret.com/1995/4/9/19168705/inmate-sues-himself-for-5-million.
The Great Sandwich Debate: Is a Burrito a Sandwich?
The culinary world collided with legal definitions in a 2006 Massachusetts case that sought to determine whether a burrito qualifies as a sandwich. The dispute arose when Panera Bread, which had an exclusivity clause in its lease preventing the shopping center from renting space to other sandwich-selling establishments, objected to the opening of a Qdoba Mexican Grill in the same center. Panera argued that burritos, tacos, and quesadillas were essentially sandwiches, thus violating their exclusivity agreement. The court, however, disagreed. Relying on the dictionary definition of a sandwich as “two thin pieces of bread, usually buttered, with a thin layer (as of meat, cheese, or savory mixture) spread between them,” the judge ruled that burritos and similar items did not fit this description and allowed Qdoba to operate.
Massachusetts Superior Court Decision on Panera Bread v. Qdoba. Fox News, 10 November 2006, https://www.foxnews.com/story/massachusetts-judge-settles-dispute-by-ruling-burrito-is-not-a-sandwich.
Copyrighting the Sun: A Bright Idea?
In a bold and unconventional move, a Spanish woman named Ángeles Durán attempted to claim ownership of the Sun in 2010. She argued that international law did not prohibit ownership of celestial bodies and proceeded to register the Sun under her name at a local notary office. Durán then announced plans to charge a fee for solar energy usage, intending to share the profits with the Spanish government and fund various social programs. However, her claim was met with widespread skepticism and legal challenges, highlighting the complexities and limitations of property rights when it comes to celestial bodies.
“Spanish Woman Claims Ownership of the Sun.” BBC News, 26 November 2010, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11860385.
These cases serve as a reminder that the legal system can be used to judge the intelligence of humanity. If any insight can be drawn from these three cases, it is simply that studidity has been around for at least a few decades.
