# Has anybody ever actually been sucessful in suing a company for something unrelated? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 7, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792 "2014-02-07T22:08:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![compositejoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/compositejoe/32/7232_2.png) [@compositejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/compositejoe)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/1 "2014-02-07T22:08:07Z")
Has anybody ever actually been sucessful in suing a company or a person for something unrelated to that company or person? ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/2 "2014-02-07T22:17:47Z")
You mean like sue a Wal-Mart in one city over something that happened at a laundromat in a different city? Or sue a next door neighbor over something you saw on TV? ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/3 "2014-02-07T22:42:47Z")
Well I suppose some company would forget the date and not turn up at court ? But that would be for a small amount, and they aren’t going to make a noise about it. In 2007, Nebraska state senator Ernie Chambers filed a lawsuit ordering God to cease “harmful activities and the making of terroristic threats”. Now, we know the case was thrown out because the legal system has law that says God is allowed to do this (and in fact, there is no suing God… ) However, perhaps they should have awarded judgement to the plaintiff, when God didn’t file/turn up/ send a legal representative. ---
**Author:** ![compositejoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/compositejoe/32/7232_2.png) [@compositejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/compositejoe)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/4 "2014-02-07T23:50:05Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > You mean like sue a Wal-Mart in one city over something that happened at a laundromat in a different city? Or sue a next door neighbor over something you saw on TV? Yes, along the lines of that, or sue Comcast Corporation if I don’t like onions on my hotdogs, for example. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/5 "2014-02-08T00:48:59Z")
The point of doing it is based on the legal principle of “What the hell. Let’s try it and see what happens.” It’s the same thing as the defense moving to dismiss all charges as soon as the prosecution rests. It never works, but if you turn out to be the first, then, you’re golden. ---
**Author:** ![Tess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@Tess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tess)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/6 "2014-02-08T21:15:39Z")
\ > [@Isilder](#): > > In 2007, Nebraska state senator Ernie Chambers filed a lawsuit ordering God to cease “harmful activities and the making of terroristic threats”. > > Now, we know the case was thrown out because the legal system has law that says God is allowed to do this (and in fact, there is no suing God… ) However, perhaps they should have awarded judgement to the plaintiff, when God didn’t file/turn up/ send a legal representative. But could Chambers prove he had properly notified God of the lawsuit? ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/7 "2014-02-09T00:47:47Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > However, perhaps they should have awarded judgement to the plaintiff, when God didn’t file/turn up/ send a legal representative. Getting a judgment against a supernatural being would be easy. It’s \*collecting \*that’s a bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/8 "2014-02-10T09:00:55Z")
> [@Tess](#): > > \ > But could Chambers prove he had properly notified God of the lawsuit? progressive jurisdictions may not be too strict… I was into the real of hypotheticals… perhaps it should be that contracts should stipulate a means of contact in the event of the contract being challenged in court. So that you don’t have a character saying “I live at the south pole -serve me there !” ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/9 "2014-02-10T10:05:35Z")
> [@Tess](#): > > \ > > But could Chambers prove he had properly notified God of the lawsuit? Since God is everywhere and all knowing, public announcement of the suit is de facto notification 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/10 "2014-02-10T12:42:39Z")
> [@compositejoe](#): > > Yes, along the lines of that, or sue Comcast Corporation if I don’t like onions on my hotdogs, for example. A lawsuit like this will never make it past the first steps, so no. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/11 "2014-02-10T15:41:01Z")
Successfully? I don’t see how that could happen. To win a lawsuit one must prove, by preponderance of the evidence, both damages and liability. The onions on your hot dog may cause you to miss work due to stinky breath, but I’m not sure how you’re going to show that Comcast is in any way liable. Unless they put the onion covered hot dog in your monthly bill, knowing full well you couldn’t resist… ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/12 "2014-02-10T16:01:41Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The point of doing it is based on the legal principle of “What the hell. Let’s try it and see what happens.” > > It’s the same thing as the defense moving to dismiss all charges as soon as the prosecution rests. It never works, but if you turn out to be the first, then, you’re golden. It sometimes works. if the prosecution fails, as a matter of law, to adduce sufficient evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, then the judge should grant such a motion. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/13 "2014-02-10T16:25:43Z")
The City of Duluth was ordered to pay $125,000 to a personal injury plaintiff who slipped on [some bubbles](http://overlawyered.com/2004/03/bubbles-cost-duluth-125000/) that were caused by a prank. Not sure if that meets the OP’s requirements, since the city did own the fountain. > [@Isilder](#): > > Now, we know the case was thrown out because the legal system has law that says God is allowed to do this (and in fact, there is no suing God… ) However, perhaps they should have awarded judgement to the plaintiff, when God didn’t file/turn up/ send a legal representative. The case was thrown out because the plaintiff failed to establish personal service on the defendant. You have to provide a defendant with actual notice of your suit; it’s not a defendant’s job to “send a legal representative” or file an answer until personal service has been made (or, until service has made on the defendant’s registered agent, for a corporation.) ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anybody-ever-actually-been-sucessful-in-suing-a-company-for-something-unrelated/680792/14 "2014-02-11T00:28:01Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > The case was thrown out because the plaintiff failed to establish personal service on the defendant. You have to provide a defendant with actual notice of your suit; it’s not a defendant’s job to “send a legal representative” or file an answer until personal service has been made (or, until service has made on the defendant’s registered agent, for a corporation.) I don’t know from monotheistic deities, but I thought those who believed in them tended to think they are everywhere and know about everything. These things obviously vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction but around here to serve personally you need to “give the document, or a copy of the document, to the person intended to be served” however “if the person does not accept the document, or copy, the party serving it may serve it by putting it down in the person’s presence and telling him or her what it is.” So as I understand it I could just create the document and say “here God, take this”. He is always present and can do anything so he could take it if he wanted, presumably. Assuming however that he didn’t take it (my money is on him not doing so) then I could just put it down anywhere and tell him what it is. Job done.