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Judicial Humor

Sources on the lighter side of the law, including court opinions.

Odds & Ends

Department of Revenue v. James B. Beam Distilling Co., 377 U.S. 341 (1964) (Black, J., dissenting).
Justices Black and Goldberg disagree as to the relative merits of bourbon and scotch in the dissent.

Avila v. Rubin, 84 F.3d 222 (C.A.7 1996).
Judge Evans: "As Joe Friday would say, let's get to the facts. We will, but unlike Sergeant Friday, it won't be "just the facts" as we'll mix in some observations and findings along the way."

Denny v. Radar Industries, Inc., 184 N.W.2d 289 (Mich. Ct. App. 1970).
Six-line opinion.

Regina v. Ojibway, 8 Crim L.Q. 137 (Toronto1965), reprinted in Stevens v. City of Louisville, 511 S.W.2d 228, 230-31 (Ky. Ct. App. 1974).
A fictitious case in which the defendant was convicted under the Cruelty to Small Birds Act for shooting his lame horse (the horse was covered in feathers from a down pillow).

Arnold S. Jacobs, An Analysis of § 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 32 N.Y.L. Sch. L. Rev. 209 (1987). HeinOnline.
Contains 4824 footnotes in 491 pages.

Andrew J. McClurg, The World’s Greatest Law Review Article, New Law Journal (Aug. 18, 1995), reprinted in ABA Journal, Oct. 1995, at 84. HeinOnline.