A reader of the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer named Keith Hempstead is suing the newspaper because, he argues, recent staff cuts have made the paper not worth the money he paid when he renewed his subscription. Hempstead, perhaps not surprisingly, is himself a lawyer.
Highlights from the N&O‘s own report:
In a phone interview today, Hempstead, 42, said he could cancel his subscription but filed the suit to make a point. … “I hate to see what companies that run newspapers are doing to the product,” Hempstead said. “The idea that taking the most important product and reducing the amount of news and getting rid of staff to me seems pointless to how you should run a newspaper business.”
“We’ve had some really good papers recently, and they’re worth more than the 36 cents a day that Mr. Hempstead is paying us,” [the N&O's executive editor John] Drescher said.
“In fact, he owes me money,” Drescher continued. “So when he gets a lawyer, he can work with my lawyer and figure out how much he’s going to pay me for the excellent coverage he’s been getting recently.”
As much of a nuisance as Hempstead’s suit may seem, it certainly suggests other plaintiff possibilities. Shall I sue the New York Yankees if I take my family to a game and the team underperforms? I can certainly think of a restaurant or two that deserves my legal attention. And what about all the schools I’ve ever attended, none of which managed to teach me everything I wanted to know?
Since we’re in the suing mood, who would you like to take on?
(Hat tip: Romenesko)
and 
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“On the other hand she has a pretty solid case for a countersuit”
yes, she does.
/almost speechless
And don’t forget about the lawyer here in DC that sued (and ruined the business of) the dry cleaner that cleaned his pants! Anyone filing a frivolous suit should be sued, especially if the litigant is a lawyer. Up against the wall…
NJ Transit – for wasting lot of hours every month during my commute to work, and all the stress of not knowing what is going on, of getting late either to work or home and seeing the day crumbling down spiraling out of control. If the want to sue Amtrak in turn, that would icing on the cake.
Even if they are public transportation, there has to be some accountability. Where is the SLA which should be printed on back of every monthly pass holder which says that NJ Transit is in contract to be on time at least 90% (too low, I know, but its a start) of the time a month?
Okay, I know this is a little late-night-comedianish, but I would like to sue — or at least slap sharply — whoever designed the little plastic stickers they put on each item of fruit. Just ridiculous waste and annoyance.
I’d like to sue all of the women who have turned me down for dates…for emotional distress. I guess it could be a reverse class-action suit.
bombastandthunder.blogspot.com
I would love to sue stupid people who feel obliged to tell me what they think about anything and everything. To hell with the First Amendment; they sap me of my health and will to live.
While it’s easy to make light of the newspaper suit, comparing it the Yankees underperforming or bad rest is a poor, poor analogy. For one reason: democracies need a vibrant press for the health of society. Baseball and eating out are luxuries. Having a healthy press is not. It’s a necessity.
I think I would love to sue all the major television networks like NBC and ABC…and possibly Fox for scheduling all the good shows at the exact same time.
I have favorite shows on both channels that usually air at the exact same time and I don’t have TiVo. If they would just synchronize their commercials so that I could watch two programs at the same time then I wouldn’t need to sue. For example, if Grey’s Anatomy is on commercial, I should be able flip over and watch The Office without missing any of the plot. However, their lack of communication and synchronization has caused me much stress and probably tendonitis in my thumb for hitting the “Last Channel” button so many times.