The world of law is a serious one. It is no small matter taking someone to court and it can involve a great deal of stress, time, and financial cost. However, this does not stop unusual cases from being brought to court. As companies build reputations, they can become targets for law cases being filed against them. We will reveal some of the strangest court cases of all time, and what the outcomes were.
Red Bull Failed To Give Someone ‘Wings’
This court case took place in the USA in 2016. The case involved the plaintiff suing a multi-million dollar company, Red Bull because the can of energy drink he drank failed to boost his energy. He claimed that the company was misleading consumers in their famous marketing campaign, ‘Red Bull Gives You Wings’. He believed this to be false advertising as he had tried their product and it failed to improve his focus or make him feel more energised. Fortunately, for the plaintiff, Red Bull agreed to settle with him outside of court and paid him a whopping $640,000 in compensation. That is worth over 160,000 cans of Red Bull, but we doubt he is spending any of his money on one any time soon.
The $5 million Slice of Cheese
How much do you expect to pay for a famous McDonald’s Quarter Pounder? One McDonald’s customer was not happy when he was expected to pay the same price for a burger without cheese, as one with cheese. He decided to sue the global mega-chain for the case of 30 cents. It seems slightly unreasonable to say the least. Thankfully for McDonald’s the case was dismissed by the courts with prejudice, to avoid the plaintiff filing the suit again at a later date. The outcome was ultimately determined because there was no evidence that the loss of the 30 cents had affected the plaintiff’s quality of life.
Can Someone Sue Themselves?
The answer, surprisingly, is yes. Whether you would want to is another matter. That is unless you are prison inmate Robert Brock. Serving his sentence in a Virginia prison for breaking and entering in 1995, he made the bold decision to sue himself on the grounds that his crimes went against his religious beliefs. He believed that when he had committed his offense, he was acting against his faith and wished to sue himself for his wrongdoings. He, however, did not have an income due to being incarcerated, so claimed that the state should pay him the sum of $5 million. The case was of course dismissed on the grounds that you cannot sue yourself for an act you chose to carry out, especially when you will earn yourself $5 million in the process.
A Change In The Weather
If you have ever been caught short without a coat in unpredictable weather, then you may understand where this particular plaintiff is coming from. One of his viewers sued Israeli weatherman Danny Rup for giving an incorrect weather forecast. The plaintiff claimed that they had seen the predicted forecast and left the house unprepared for outside conditions. They became ill from the event, which caused them to miss work. They settled the case outside of court for a sum of $1,000, and Danny Rup apologised for the false information.
Luxury Pringles
There are strict VAT taxes set on various British wholesale items that are deemed a ‘luxury’. This includes things such as cakes, ice cream, confectionery. Sadly, for Proctor & Gamble, this tax also includes crisps. This led the major company to go to court against HM Revenue & Customs because their Pringles products are not technically crisps, but are in fact, considered a savory snack. Due to their ingredients only containing 3% potato flour, they are not made up of enough potatoes to be classed as potato crisps. Proctor & Gamble won the case and avoided paying £100 million tax. HMRC, however, appealed the case, which resulted in P&G eventually having to pay the sum.
Can Murder be Deemed A Necessity?
In the case of Tom Dudley and Edwin Stephens, they hoped it could be. In 1884, the two men alongside Edmund Brooks and Richard Parker, were stranded on an island when their ship ran adrift. They had no clean water supply and could not find a sufficient food supply. The starvation became so bad that Parker fell into a coma after twenty days. Not knowing when or if anyone would ever come to their rescue, Stephens and Dudley made the difficult decision to murder Parker so they could live off the carcass. Five days later, people rescued the three men and were placed on trial for their acts on their return to the mainland. In the court’s eyes, it was deemed that necessity was not grounds for killing someone. Still, they were only imprisoned for six months because it was an act of survival.
It is baffling the extent to which people go into legal proceedings. Not only are court cases highly expensive, but they are also a time-consuming process that can have severe consequences for everyone involved. It is always worth seeking the advice of an excellent solicitor to ensure that you have a strong case. Thankfully, these unusual court cases are few and far between. Still, critical legal proceedings are happening across the world every day.
Here at Alexander JLO, we are experts in family and divorce law. If you have a domestic law case you wish to bring forward, don’t hesitate to give us a call. Our head offices are based in Canary Wharf, and our team can help anyone seeking London-based legal advice. Our team of solicitors has extensive experience in a wide range of cases, so if you are unsure how to proceed, we can advise you on your best move.
This blog was prepared by Alexander JLO’s senior partner, Peter Johnson on the 8th February 2022 and is correct at the time of publication. With decades of experience in almost all areas of law, Peter is happy to assist with any legal issue that you have. His profile on the independent Review Solicitor website can be found Here