Presumed Ignorant!: Over 400 Cases of Legal Looniness, Daffy Defendants, and Bloopers from the Bench (Paperback)

by Leland Gregory (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Mr. Gregory maintains that every item in this collection of ludicrous laws and daft decisions is genuine. Individually, the absurdities are amusing. In the aggregate, they indicate that it will not be enough to kill all the lawyers. Legislators and judges must also go to the lamppost. -- The Atlantic Monthly, Phoebe-Lou Adams

Product Description
Oyez! Oyez! Here comes a hilarious expose of the most bizarre, outrageous, and hilarious acts ever perpetrated in the halls of justice. From the dumbest defenses ever dreamed up to the silliest law suits ever filed, it's an open and shut case of the law at its most lunatic.

A Connecticut law forbids the sale of pickles which break or squish when dropped from one foot above the ground. "They should remain whole and even bounce."

A defendant accused of theft showed up in court wearing his best suit in order to make a good impression. His dapper duds impressed the plaintiff most--the custom-made suit had been stolen from him!

It is illegal for any driver of an automobile to be blindfolded while operating the vehicle in Birmingham, Alabama.

A New York City inmate sued the correctional system for $8.5 million in damages because he smuggled a gun into prison--and then accidentally shot himself. And much, much more...Presumed Ignorant will make you laugh out loud at hundreds of the zaniest examples of our legal system in action.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Dell (July 6, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440507898
• ISBN-13: 978-0440507895
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #934,328 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #78 in

  Books > Nonfiction > Law > Perspectives on Law > Legal Systems

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat disappointing, September 26, 2000

By	Stephan Stuecklin "thduggie" (Basel, Switzerland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

While this book indeed includes many funny or absurd courtroom showings or legislation extracts, it falls short, far short of my expectations towards careful referencing. I would really like to threaten to sue the tea shop in Wisconsin that serves me an apple pie without cheese, but where do I find the actual law? Is it still in effect or has this particular incongruity been dropped? And if I want to sue the friendly Georgian who just slapped my back, where do I find it? If Mr. Gregory really researched and found these absurdities, why didn't he reference them? In effect, I remain ignorant.

Then, not all inclusions in this book are really funny. Apparently, in Cleveland, OH, it is illegal to ride a bike with your hands off the handlebar. Why is this funny? It is a necessary law: riding a bike with your hands off the handlebars is possible, is done (at least here in Switzerland) and is, of course, more dangerous (braking takes much longer and sharp turns are impossible). This law is neither absurd nor unnecessary and only says something about Mr. Gregory's grasp of bicycling, not about the grey matter of whoever passed the law.

Having said all that, it still remains an amusing coffee table book or bathroom reader, and does point the finger at human irrationality gone rampant in US law. (I however believe other nations are not exempt of similar bloopers - they just don't have a market for this type of literary offerings.) If a law against throwing onions at people is the worst gaffe in the US legal system, all is well; but one specific example of an inmate being saved from execution 13 hours before they flipped the switch reminds us of the more serious problems with the US justice. Unfortunately, Mr. Gregory's book deflects our outrage from the important to the frivolous issues - its entertainment value is the only reason I rate it at three stars.

2 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A eye opener for all!, November 11, 1998

By A Customer

This book has helped me realize how irresponsible I have been towards our government. I used to believe the media when I heard that tax increases will help. I now realize that if any business were to operate like our government, it would have filed bankrupcy a long time ago. We need to become active in our gov. and if it were not for this satire of truth, I would have never learned that. I am also now researching somethings and would like to know where to look. If I could somehow ask Mr Leland H. Gregory, III where to look, that would be tremendously helpful. Thankyou and I hope to hear from ya!~