# Obnoxious, Paranoid Bitch Sues Neighborhood Kids For Bringing Her Cookies...Wins **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 4, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405 "2005-02-04T18:33:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/41 "2005-02-04T20:12:37Z")
No way do we have all the facts here. The girls baked cookies, dropped them on the porch, rang the doorbell and left, and this caused unreasoning distress? Bullshit. I think these girls knocked on her door over, and over, and over again, because she wasn’t answering, and they could tell she was home. They were probably hiding in the bushes watching as people collected their gifts – part of the experience for them. If that’s the case, I can better understand this lady’s distress. That behavior rises to the level of harassment. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/42 "2005-02-04T20:13:00Z")
I have e-mailed the author of the article, asking about the possibility of making a contribution to the families of the Evil Cookie Hooligans to offset their $900 judgement. I’ll pass on any info I receive. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/43 "2005-02-04T20:13:08Z")
**Cliffy** and **KellyM** beat me to it; I just don’t understand the judge’s reasoning. > [@](#): > > The judge said that he didn’t think the girls acted maliciously but that it was pretty late at night for them to be out. That’s fine, but _what was the tort that they committed?_😕 ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/44 "2005-02-04T20:15:11Z")
> [@Papermache Prince](#): > > It’s a pity the Denver Post article didn’t provide an address to mail a contribution to Ms. Ostergaard and Ms. Zellitti. You might be able to e-mail the reporter. The worst that will happen is that you don’t get a reply. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/45 "2005-02-04T20:16:41Z")
If you can’t tortfease the one you love, tortfease the one you’re with. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/46 "2005-02-04T20:20:23Z")
Can I just say that if I had just masturbated three times in a row, no _way_ would I be getting boner enough to go up anyone’s ass, not even [name omitted on advice of someone acquainted with stalking laws], let alone a harpy like this? Oh, and **Bricker** : You da man. Two thumbs way, way up. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/47 "2005-02-04T20:22:46Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > If you can’t tortfease the one you love, tortfease the one you’re with. Feasors who tort people are the luckiest feasors in the world… ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/48 "2005-02-04T20:24:20Z")
$900? Ok, how much is that in pubes? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/49 "2005-02-04T20:29:29Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > That’s fine, but _what was the tort that they committed?_😕 Negligent staying out late at night. See Restatement, Second. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/50 "2005-02-04T20:30:05Z")
I’ve found an address that definitely belongs to Ms. Ostergaard and one that probably belongs to Ms. Zellitti. I’m going to send cards! Email me if you want them. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/51 "2005-02-04T20:30:37Z")
> [@Papermache Prince](#): > > It’s a pity the Denver Post article didn’t provide an address to mail a contribution to Ms. Ostergaard and Ms. Zellitti. I won’t post the results outright, in case there’s any concern about disclosing people’s home addresses and phone numbers, but contact information for Richard Ostergaard is public information which can be found by searching [http://directory.superpages.com/people.jsp](http://directory.superpages.com/people.jsp). The other girl’s family is a bit more difficult to pinpoint, but there are only 5 Zellittis at 2 different addresses listed in Durango, CO. If one of them isn’t the party in question, there’s little doubt they could direct you to the appropriate person. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/52 "2005-02-04T20:31:56Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I have e-mailed the author of the article, asking about the possibility of making a contribution to the families of the Evil Cookie Hooligans to offset their $900 judgement. I’ll pass on any info I receive. Dude. I’m impressed. You just went up beaucoup notches in esteem. It looks good on ya. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/53 "2005-02-04T20:36:50Z")
Count me in on any contributions. **Bricker** , you rock! ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/54 "2005-02-04T20:40:06Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > “They wouldn’t even knock on the door to offer to pay my medical bills after I was hospitalized when they knocked on my door to offer me cookies. They insensitively sent a letter! Can you imagine?” > > I’m not sure what I’d hate more – living somewhere where you can be successfully sued for a cookie-drop, or living somewhere where having an anxiety attack can cost you $900 in medical bills. Creeping jesus on a crutch, they probably DIDN’T knock on her door to apologize because they didn’t want to scare her again… ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/55 "2005-02-04T20:41:02Z")
**Rick** , good on ya. Yeah, let us know what you find. Just to rescue the good (? :D) name of [Fark.com](http://Fark.com), where I first saw this article, I’ll pass any info on to the Fark Nation. ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/56 "2005-02-04T20:42:51Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > You do know that hurts not only the fuckee. So fuck her in the ass with a cookie! An _oatmeal raisin_ cookie. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/57 "2005-02-04T20:43:20Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **said obnoxious bitch** > > Young said she believes that the girls should not have been running from door to door late at night. > > “Something bad could have happened to them,” she said. Yeah, like getting sued! ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/58 "2005-02-04T20:45:11Z")
I’m going to open myself up to a humongous pile of abuse by siding with the nasty crank of a woman. These girls tried to do a nice thing but wound up scaring the bejesus out of this lady, causing her to wind up in the ER, and $900 poorer. The girls offered to pay for her expenses… however… that was contingent upon the old lady indemnifying them against future claims. As if she should give up the right for compensation if this episode winds up causing her future health problems. As it is, the old lady has been compensated for her actual damages, and that’s it. They rang her doorbell late at night, didn’t answer, and ran off. For everyone who thinks that buglars and rapists don’t ring the doorbell, you’re just fucking morons. ding dong! Who is it? Hi, my car broke down, can I use your phone? Sure, let me open the door so you can force your way in, bash my head, rape me, kill me and steal all my stuff. Or even, ding dong!, let’s wait, if nobody answers, we’ll go round back and break in. Either of those situations are unsettling. Somebody knocking on my door late at night and not answering would creep me out too, and I’m no old lady. They unwittingly caused her harm, that’s enough for me to consider them liable for damages. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/59 "2005-02-04T20:54:24Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > I’m going to open myself up to a **humongous** pile of abuse by siding with the nasty crank of a woman. These girls tried to do a nice thing but wound up scaring the bejesus out of this lady, causing her to wind up in the ER, and $900 poorer. The girls offered to pay for her expenses… however… that was contingent upon the old lady indemnifying them against future claims. As if she should give up the right for compensation if this episode winds up causing her future health problems. As it is, the old lady has been compensated for her actual damages, and that’s it. > > They rang her doorbell late at night, didn’t answer, and ran off. For everyone who thinks that buglars and rapists don’t ring the doorbell, you’re just fucking morons. ding dong! Who is it? Hi, my car broke down, can I use your phone? Sure, let me open the door so you can force your way in, bash my head, rape me, kill me and steal all my stuff. Or even, ding dong!, let’s wait, if nobody answers, we’ll go round back and break in. Either of those situations are unsettling. Somebody knocking on my door late at night and not answering would creep me out too, and I’m no old lady. > > They unwittingly caused her harm, that’s enough for me to consider them liable for damages. Gotta disagree. What if I had a peculiar psychological ailment that caused an anxiety reaction to the word ‘humongous’? Then you’d have unwittingly caused me harm just now. Are you saying you’d be liable in that situation? No, I have to go with the side of reasonable expectation. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405/60 "2005-02-04T20:56:46Z")
I’m just amazed that people are so happy to believe yet another story about “the courts run amuck” that no one’s stopped to wonder whether we’re getting the whole story out of the newspaper. Hey, I know people love these stories, but it really makes me worried for this country when the fundamentals of media literacy are so foreign to most people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obnoxious-paranoid-bitch-sues-neighborhood-kids-for-bringing-her-cookies-wins/288405.md?page=4)