A New Law

In a previous post, I stated that we have too many laws. The result is we are unable to enforce them all.

Today, I emailed some weird court cases from a site called The Courtroom Jester to a few friends. The site summarizes frivolous lawsuits, and lawsuits with strange outcomes. It's really fun to read--I added the site to the links in my profile.

After reading some of the case summaries, one of my friends, J.L., proposed that we come up with a new law. I find myself supporting it 100% for both the federal government and all 50 states.

I took the liberty of rewording J.L.'s proposed law as follows: No person who has committed a felony crime against another, whether or not said person has been arrested or convicted of said felony, shall be allowed to sue his victim for compensation for injuries that he received accidentally during the commission of said felony.

For example: Some jerk breaks into your house, ties and gags you, and steals your priceless collection of jeweled button hooks. On his way out, he stumbles on a loose throw rug and breaks his wrist. Subsequently he sues you in civil court for medical expenses, loss of income, pain and suffering.

Such suits have taken place, and the damages have been awarded. After all, a homeowner is responsible to keep his home in safe condition. As far as I know, under existing tort law, he is liable for injuries that result from neglected maintenance, regardless of whether or not the injured person was invited in, and regardless of what the injured person was doing at the time of injury.

With the proposed law in place, the jerk is not permitted to sue you in civil court for expenses that result from that accident because he was in the process of robbing you and unlawfully imprisoning you at the time. The judge should dismiss his suit and turn him over to the D.A. for criminal prosecution.

The proposed change is long overdue. When the man files the law suit, he is confessing to the crime. So, at that point, trial and conviction are a foregone conclusion. He is guilty. We should not be rewarding him in any way for accidental injury or damage that he incurs during his commission of a crime.

Does anyone want to help me write an initiative and get it on the ballot? Please secure those loose throw rugs before you do.