Of Course, the Media Is Freaking Out Over Trump's Military Parade, But They're...
The Pulitzer Prize Was Just Awarded to a Publication That Pushed a Fake...
How Barstool's Dave Portnoy Handled This Ambush by a Local News Outlet
All This WaPo Reporter Did Was Show She Doesn't Know the Difference Between...
This Headline Sort of Guts The Washington Post's Pulitzer Win for Covering the...
If There's Anyone That Deserves a Military Parade, It's Donald J. Trump
Can We Pay Liberals to Leave Too?
Young Trumpian Conservatives Are Like the Young Reagan Conservatives of Yesterday
Price Controls for Medicine Have a Devastating Cost
'Trump Knows…' Eclipses the Iconic Bo Jackson Commercial 'Bo Knows…'
Can the West Win Wars Again?
Securing Digital Dignity: A New Line of Defense for Americans
Ignore the Elites — President Trump’s Housing Plan Is Working
From the Gridiron to the Rose Garden — America’s Comeback Starts Here
Small Businesses Aren’t Hiring - Because Big Cronyism Is Eliminating Them
OPINION

The $54 Million Pants Lawsuit That Never Goes Away

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

Like a bad cold you just can’t shake off, the infamous lost pants lawsuit is back.  Yesterday, ABC News 7 here in Washington D.C. reported that former D.C. Administrative Law Judge Roy Pearson has been granted a chance to revive his $54 million lawsuit against a local drycleaner for misplacing his pair of slacks.   

Advertisement

The suit against Custom Cleaners, which generated international media attention, seemed finally put to rest last summer with a ruling against Pearson, clearing the reputations of Jin and Soo Chung, the owners of the small dry cleaning business.  However, after the expensive two-year battle, the Chungs were forced to close two of their three shops as a result of this lawsuit.  Yet, now we find that a three-judge appellate court panel has agreed to hear Pearson’s appeal, dragging the Chungs back into the courtroom. 

Not only did this frivolous lawsuit prove to be an embarrassment to Pearson – who lost his judgeship after he lost his case – this appeal is proving to be an embarrassment to the integrity of our legal system.   

America’s out-of-control lawsuit system encourages plaintiffs like Pearson to seek jackpot justice at the expense of businesses of all types and sizes.  Nevertheless, those who profit most from lawsuits – plaintiffs’ lawyers – see nothing wrong with a system that generates billions of dollars of income for their industry each year.  

In fact, in June of last year, after the Chungs’ initial bittersweet victory that nearly cost them their very livelihood, the national trial lawyer lobby publicly praised the ruling, saying it “clearly shows that the system works to deny outrageous and ridiculous claims.” 

Advertisement

The system works!?  Tell that to the Chungs, who have spent more than $100,000 on legal fees, have had to close two stores and, because of Pearson’s granted appeal, will once again have this absurd lawsuit hanging over their heads. 

The Chungs’ story is featured on IamLawsuitAbuse.org, a Web site sponsored by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform that gives a voice to those hurt by abusive lawsuits.  Unfortunately, the Chungs’ ongoing legal nightmare is just another sad illustration of the impact this type of litigation is having on businesses across the nation.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement