How To Get Sued
An Instructional Guide
By J. Craig Williams
Kaplan Publishing
$22.00, hard cover, 254 pages, 978-1-4277-9771-1
This is a book that I looked forward to reading just because I'm a big fan of Craig Williams and his blog, May It Please The Court. The book promotes itself on the front cover by declaring that it is the "lighter side of how 'real life' becomes 'real litigation'".
Unfortunately, I didn't find the book all that enjoyable to read. Why? I guess the simple reason is that Williams tries to show the lighter side of a variety of cases but – at least for me – he often narrowly misses the mark.
First, let me acknowledge that performing comedy is hard (I know – I do stand up comedy locally). But writing comedy, or at least writing with a light comedic touch, is even more difficult. As I was reading this book, my overwhelming impression was that Williams was trying just a bit too hard to come across as humorous.
The entire book is basically a summary of hundreds of cases – some of them quite odd cases – and what can happen to get folks in trouble with the law. After briefly describing the facts, Williams then gives you his impression of the case and how it might serve as a lesson.
Take the following example from his chapter on Committing a Crime:
Pass the Garden Hose, Please
"Mom, there's Fred taking a shower outside again."
That's pretty much the money quote for this case.
Again, right out of the article first posted at www.metro.co.uk:
"According to police, 49-year-old Fred Michaux of Vineland, New Jersey, was seen by a mother and her two young daughters as he showered himself with a garden hose on his front lawn at around 4 o'clock in the afternoon."
There are outside showers, and there are outside showers. Apparently Fred has a penchant for three things: no clothes, outside, and a garden hose.
That penchant landed him a charge of lewdness.
The Web site reports he told police he didn't think anyone was watching him.
That's a great defense.
I can see it now. "But your honor, if a tree falls in the woods and no one's there to hear it, it doesn't make a sound."
And in response: "Guilty. That'll be forty lashes with a…"
Yep, a rubber hose.
All right, while it's not split-a-gut hilarious, it is cute.
If you like this type of fact summary followed by an amusing comment by the author, this book is filled with them.
Buy it on Amazon here.
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