# Psychics should be sued and pay penalties for failed predictions **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 31, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151 "2014-10-31T18:45:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/1 "2014-10-31T18:45:03Z")
I’ve never hired a psychic, nor will I. This isn’t a rant either, so I’m not putting it in the Pit. That being said, I see no reason why professional psychics who charge a fee for their services should \*\*\*not \*\*\*be successfully sued and made to pay penalties for their incorrect predictions. Legally speaking, they’re a business making money off of a product, so why can’t they be penalized if their product fails to deliver as demanded? Yes, the whole business is ridiculous, but charging money for phony products is fraud. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/2 "2014-10-31T18:59:38Z")
For the most part, they will say that what they are doing is “entertainment” which will make them immune from law suits. The ones who go too far can be charged with fraud. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/3 "2014-10-31T19:00:02Z")
I wonder how many psychics make predictions that are specific enough to qualify. My mother-in-law at one point visited a psychic and was told that the love of her life was a tall man who traveled a lot. When it was love at first sight with a airplane pilot who was 6’2", she figured this prophecy had come true. Unfortunately, it turns out that Mr Pilot was an abusive asshole who controlled her and their money was constantly making angry and jealous accusations. So if you were going to sue based on that, the psychic could 1) argue that she meant a _different_ tall guy who traveled, and that the prediction hadn’t come true yet. Since my mother-in-law lived another 30 years, that’s a pretty good trick for delaying the law suit. or 2) argue that just because someone is the love of your life doesn’t guarantee they’re not an abusive asshole. or 3) argue that some other guy fit the bill. Since MIL loved to sleep with married guys who had money, it’s a virtual certainty that at least one of them was tall and traveled. But another problem from a legal standpoint: virtually all psychics have some kind of disclaimer that says “for entertainment purposes only.” They certainly have that disclaimer if you’re calling one advertised on TV with a 900 number. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/4 "2014-10-31T19:02:51Z")
I feel the same way with reservations. This country is allready sue happy. At some point people need to be accountable for bad decisions. Going to a phychic is a bad choice as are so many other things we do in life. My gut instinct tells me that they should have to be able to at least prove that they can make contact with spirits, but then could this same logic be chased into the churches. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/5 "2014-10-31T19:07:48Z")
Can you really sue a “psychic” who honestly believed that they had powers? Is that fraud? I think that even the most arrogant psychic would admit that they are occasionally fallible. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/6 "2014-10-31T19:12:36Z")
Most have a “for entertainment purposes only” disclaimer close by. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/7 "2014-10-31T19:23:56Z")
You mean, like doctors and stock brokers and race track touts? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/8 "2014-10-31T19:25:33Z")
If I sue, I then have a court transcript wherein I admit to being an easily-duped idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/9 "2014-10-31T19:29:58Z")
If I pay to see a comedian who’s not funny, can I sue? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/10 "2014-10-31T19:32:56Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > If I pay to see a comedian who’s not funny, can I sue? Entirely different scenario. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/11 "2014-10-31T19:45:40Z")
This is a terribly rotten idea. The last thing we need is more laws setting ugly precedents to further disenfranchise non-protected classes of people. And why stop with psychics? Recently, Italy took the backwards step of [charging seismologists with manslaughter](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/23/jailing-italian-seismologists-scientific-community) for failing to “predict” the deadly 2009 L’Aquila Earthquake. Should we sue or imprison weather forecasters? Stock market analysts? Sports commentators? It’s one hell of a slippery slope. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/12 "2014-10-31T19:46:23Z")
No, if you have any common sense, psychics and comedians are in the same profession. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/13 "2014-10-31T20:03:32Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > You mean, like doctors and stock brokers and race track touts? And weathermen. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/14 "2014-10-31T20:05:21Z")
> [@JerrySTL](#): > > Most have a “for entertainment purposes only” disclaimer close by. This. Some years ago, on a lark, I applied for a job as a phone psychic. It was really an industrial espionage mission: I wanted a look behind the scenes at their operation. What I saw actually reassured me. They had rules against offering medical advice, and they had rules against allowing customers to become dependent on them. If one customer was calling too often, the operators were supposed to cut him off. None of these $1,000 phone bill deals we hear about. This company, at least, took “not getting sued” seriously, and had all their protections lined up. It actually made me feel quite a bit better about the profession. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/15 "2014-10-31T20:17:10Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > This is a terribly rotten idea. The last thing we need is more laws setting ugly precedents to further disenfranchise non-protected classes of people. > > And why stop with psychics? Recently, Italy took the backwards step of [charging seismologists with manslaughter](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/23/jailing-italian-seismologists-scientific-community) for failing to “predict” the deadly 2009 L’Aquila Earthquake. Should we sue or imprison weather forecasters? Stock market analysts? Sports commentators? It’s one hell of a slippery slope. How about suing churches and religious leaders when prayers go unanswered? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/16 "2014-10-31T20:19:37Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > How about suing churches and religious leaders when prayers go unanswered? Oddly enough, I find that idea very appealing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/17 "2014-10-31T20:21:57Z")
Courts shouldn’t recognize psychic predictions as a matter to argue. None of them predict anything through psychic ability, there’s nothing for a court to determine. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/18 "2014-10-31T20:48:50Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Courts shouldn’t recognize psychic predictions as a matter to argue. None of them predict anything through psychic ability, there’s nothing for a court to determine. If they claim they can, and that claim exceeds the entertainment disclaimer, it’s up to the court to decide if it is fraud. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/19 "2014-10-31T20:54:48Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > If they claim they can, and that claim exceeds the entertainment disclaimer, it’s up to the court to decide if it is fraud. Such claims should be illegal, or at least considered damaging in a civil sense no matter what the outcome. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151/20 "2014-10-31T20:59:29Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > How about suing churches and religious leaders when prayers go unanswered? Well, prayers are normally directed at a deity. I have a sneaking suspicion that deities are immune from lawsuits. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-should-be-sued-and-pay-penalties-for-failed-predictions/703151.md?page=2)