Feuding, disagreeing, and suing are common things that take place in the world. What attracts attention to these incidents, though, would be the actions that usually take place afterward. In order to maintain their reputation or “get back what is theirs,” people and businesses take the major step of filing a lawsuit.
A lawsuit is a legal action that is taken by the court. It is when there is one party (the word party could identify an individual, business, or government agency) suing another one for property or money. The person that is suing is considered a plaintiff and the one being sued is known as the defendant, who are both represented by a team of lawyers.
Sometimes, a lawsuit can involve enjoining. Enjoin is a legal term that means to stop or restrain a party from trespassing or picketing on your property or disclosing personal information. Most of the times, lawsuits are considered the best way for people, businesses, or government agencies to resolve arguments and disputes that are provoked by factual incidents with the help of the supreme, district or federal court.
There is no doubt in saying that there have been many lawsuits filed that may seem obscure and silly, but there are 25 famously interesting lawsuits that should be talked about. Whether they are celebrity lawsuits or lawsuits that involve big businesses and commoners, they have successfully managed to catch our eye. Similarly, if you want to be left –a little- mind boggled; read on so you can find out some of the most interesting lawsuits that have taken place in the past.
1. Apple v. Samsung
Known as the two leading technology brands, Apple and Samsung have been in a cold war for a long time. The major reason for this is that there is always an ongoing dispute related to their touch screens, scrolling, zooming, and design.
In the spring of 2011, Apple filed a lawsuit against Samsung for copying the design of its smartphones and tablets. By mid-2011, there were 9 ongoing lawsuits between the two brands, and by 2012, there were 50 ongoing cases throughout the world.
In 2016, the United States Supreme Court made the decision that awarded a hefty amount of money to Apple. Although the lawsuit was dealt with at the time, the companies have never stopped competing with each other in the corporate realm.
2. Liebeck v. McDonald’s
The Liebeck v. McDonald’s lawsuit began when 80-year-old Stella Liebeck dropped McDonald’s hot coffee on her lap, leading to a third-degree burn. Because of this, she filed a lawsuit and got criticized for it because coffee is supposed to be hot. However, the fast-food chain got many complaints about serving coffee that is over the optimum temperature.
Liebeck wanted the restaurant to pay her $800 for her burns but was rejected. Then, the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico awarded Liebeck $2.7 million for the burns that she had faced.
3. Christopher Nolan v. Batman
How is it possible for a creator to get sued for their own creation? Well, there is a place called Batman in Turkey. Nolan got sued by the city for using its name without permission or consent. The special effects of the movie had damaging effects on the people, causing the people to get outraged by Batman: The Movie for decades even after it became a world phenomenon.
4. Overton v. Anheuser-Busch
Richard Overton sued Anheuser-Busch for creating false advertisements. The advertisement showed how drinking 6-pack of Bud Light did not make beautiful women appear on balmy beach. Overton demanded $10,000 because the advertisement caused him psychological and emotional distress. Luckily, the case got dropped cause of how bizarre it was.
5. Allen Heckard v. Michael Jordan
There is no doubt in saying that this is one of the most outrageously crazy lawsuits that have been filed. Mr. Allen Heckard had the audacity to file a lawsuit against Michael Jordan because he looked like the famous basketball player. Heckard made a claim in the case that his life was getting ruined because of how many people began comparing him to Jordan. He said that people thought he was fit like Jordan, rich like him and like the basketball player in every way. The lawsuit was taken back, thankfully.
6. Courtney Love v. American Express
Courtney Love racked up almost $300,000 charges with American Express but she quickly claimed that it was not her fault. According to Love, there was someone who has opened at least 100 American Express credit cards under her name. Moreover, this someone was also using them without any hesitation.
7. Norman v. Honda
Karen Norman’s parents sued Honda because their daughter died from not being able to get out of her vehicle on time. Although the case seemed legit, the facts that followed did not seem so. The Normans sued Honda because their daughter could not hit the emergency release button on time. Their daughter was drunk driving with Josel Woods on the passenger seat. Even though their daughter swam for her survival at the time, she passed away later. The Normans still managed to win the lawsuit against Honda. Keep in mind, their daughter should not have been driving in the first place.
8. Kristina Karo v. Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis is from Ukraine, no big shocker, but when she came to the United States, one dark secret came along. It was when Kristina Karo accused Kunis of stealing her chicken when they were younger. Karo stated that she was never able to recover from the emotional shock that theft left her in. People started believing that getting a pet stolen can leave individuals emotionally distraught, but soon after, news surfaced of how Karo wanted to be noticed as a singer.
9. Peters v. Universal Studios
Cleanthi Peters filed a lawsuit against Universal Studios for $15,000 because the Annual Halloween Horror Nights haunted house was not what she expected. After going to the haunted house with her granddaughter, Peters claimed that the haunted house experience left her in emotional distress for which she demanded punitive damages. When she was about to exit the haunted house, she got chased by a chainsaw-wielding Leatherface that caused her to trip and fall. She also said that the actor threatened her with the weapon in a traumatizing way. But, she successfully managed to get the money she had requested for.
10. Jonas Brother v. Ashleigh Johnson
Ashleigh Johnson tried getting a lawsuit against the Jonas Brothers for an unfortunate concert experience. It is normal for concert settings to be crowded and rowdy. Similarly, when Johnson was at the Jo-Bro concert, things started getting crazy and out of control. She was crushed by a wild crowd that -she claims- left her mentally and emotionally injured. However, the female fan was not injured enough to continue with this lawsuit.
11. Chiscolm v. Bank of America
Dalton Chiscolm held a lawsuit against Bank of America for “1,784 BILLION, TRILLION Dollars”, which is more than the planet’s gross domestic product. The reason why he wanted to sue the bank was that he tried to make a few “frustrated” phone calls that would settle his issues related to deposited checks. However, since there was no federal cause of action, the case was not worked upon. The most mind-blowing part about the entire situation is that Chiscolm wanted that amount to be deposited into his account the next day with $200,164,000 more because of the troubles he had to go through.
12. Elvis v. Fort Worth Man
There are some lawsuits that are too ridiculous to be true while others just make you wonder how someone had the brain to even think about something of the sort. Even though Elvis Presley has been dead for years now, a main in Fort Worth, Texas sued his estate. The reason for this was that the singer had faked his death. The man’s proof was that he was talking to Presley even after his death had been announced. The lawsuit did not continue, obviously.
13. Tina Seals v. Beyonce
A few years, news (or rumors) began to surface that Beyonce and Jay Z’s daughter had a biological mother. Tina Seals came out saying that she was the surrogate for the couple and wanted to take her parental rights back. It not only became a highly suspected issue but it is morally wrong to do something like this to a couple. Although the lawsuit was in action for some time, people were left wondering whether the “Halo” singer use a surrogate or not.
14. Jo Anne Vandegriff v. Disney
There are some people that are suing for money and others for attention, but Jo Anne Vandegriff seems to be suing for both reasons. The main purpose for getting a lawsuit against Disney was so that the homeless woman could bring attention to her idea of a miniseries. This woman wrote a manuscript of 2,000 pages just so she would get noticed, how disturbing.
15. Rosenberg v. Google
In 2009, Lauren Rosenberg was ready to sue Google for $100,000 when Google Maps guided her to walk on the freeway so she could reach her destination which caused her to get hit by a car. She even sued the driver of that car. The directions that were given directed her onto a busy free on Utah State Route 224 that had no sidewalks. According to common sense, you are not supposed to trust an electronic device when it guides you to walk on the edge of the road.
Being a computerized program, Google Maps is not always correct. With the limited information, it has, Google tries to get you to your destination with ease, but it can be wrong sometimes. In this case, it is recommended for individuals to keep their eyes and mind open.
16. Lucie Kim v. Miley Cyrus
There is no denying that Miley Cyrus has done a few things in her past that can lead individuals to think about her character, but the lawsuit that was filed against the singer is absurd. Lucie Kim tried to sue Miley Cyrus and get every Asian in the LA County paid 4,000 because of a picture she had posted. In the picture, Cyrus was squinting her eyes that made her eyes look slanted and apparently offended people as well. However, without even looking at it one more time, the judge discarded the case.
17. Ralph Lauren v. USPA
It is true, something as small as a brand logo can lead to law getting involved. Ralph Lauren took USPA to court because they had “stolen” the Ralph Lauren logo and was trying to use it to sell their merchandise. No one quite knows where this lawsuit stands now. Moreover, individuals that do not have an interest in Ralph Lauren or USPA have stayed out of their business.
18. Roller v. Blaine & Copperfield
David Roller filed a lawsuit against David Blaine for $2 million and against David Copperfield for $50 million because they has taken away his “godly” powers. Roller stated that both these magicians were using witchcraft in their tricks. In addition, on his official website, Roller has also stated that he has a gut feeling that Bill Gates would be running in the 2008 presidential elections for America. These pieces of evidence against Roller restricted the lawsuit to proceed.
19. 50 Cent V. Taco Bell
This is one of the –very few lawsuits that actually make sense when you think about. Taco Bell decided to use 50 Cent’s likeness for one of their campaigns without his consent. Not long after, the famous rapper noticed and decided to sue the corporation. Rightfully so, he did it and ever since then, Taco Bella has not used anything involving someone without persimmon and consent.
20. Jennifer Lopez v. Morocco
Women in the show business industry are known for their level of sexiness that is incomparable. Similarly, Jennifer Lopez is another female that is known for rocking the stage with her sensuality while making everyone go crazy on the floor. Even though this is a known fact to everyone, the Moroccans were not aware of this. When J-Lo was performing in Morocco, an educational group claimed that her performance was an offense for women and filed a class action lawsuit against the star. Nothing has happened with the lawsuit and even if anything does, it will be in J-Lo’s favor.
21. PETA v. Division of Fish and Wildlife
Jay Kelly and Dan Shannon are PETA members that were leaving an anti-hunting campaign when their car hit a deer crossing the road. Instead of getting the damages of the vehicle fixed, these individuals sued the Division of Fish and Wildlife in New Jersey and their lawsuit was presented in the United States District Court of Virginia. PETA claimed that the deer accident happened because of the new deer management program that was set by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. It stated how there will be an increase in the deer population so more are available during hunting season. PETA then says that deer roaming freely will not allow them to escape the bloodshed. Instead of taking the blame of murdering a deer, PETA is blaming someone else.
22. Rob Delaney v. Kim Kardashian
Lawsuits seem to be the answer for all issues these days. Although there can be multiple things Hollywood’s Kim K could have been sued for, she got sued for one of the oddest things ever. After her divorce with Kris Humphries in California, Rob Delaney decided to sue Kim because her marriage was a sham. While no one is aware of the intricacies of the relationship between Kim and Rob except for a few close loved ones, it is safe to say that this lawsuit will not be going too far.
23. Michael Jackson v. Kimberly Griggs
Kimberly Griggs –very confidently- claimed that every song Michael Jackson has written has something to do with her. A little later, she added that before he passed away, he had signed an agreement that stated that Griggs had all the rights over his songs. This lawsuit did not proceed because there was NO evidence that could have proven Griggs right.
24. Nicholas Cage v. Kathleen Turner
Lawsuits do not only take place in an attempt to take away or defame a celebrity, sometimes, but there are also celebs that have ongoing conflicts with each other. Kathleen Turner made a claim that Nicholas Cage had been stealing small animals at a point in his life. However, considering their faulty relationship with each other, no serious action was taken. Cage won the lawsuit and ever since then, there has been no news of him stealing small animals either nor have the two of them been seen together.
25. Kellogg v. Exxon
Michigan-based brand Kellogg sued Texas-based brand Exxon Mobile because the Exxon tiger was looking too much like their beloved Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Ambassador Tony the Tiger. Believe it or not, both brands have been using their tigers on their brands for more than 30 years, but Kellogg felt threatened by the Exxon tiger for some reason. If you bring trade-marking into the equation, it makes sense why Kellogg would do such a thing. But, they have waited too long for them to pursue the lawsuit which has lessened its credibility.
These are 25 lawsuits that are famously interesting. These frivolous lawsuits will allow you to see everything in a different light while you are in for a real treat!
