HOW CAN A THIEF SUE THE FAMILY HE ROBBED? GONE TO THE DOGS
Have you heard the story of Terrence Dickson? Even if you don’t know the name, you might have heard his strange tale. Dickson was a burglar in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. One day, after breaking into a house and helping himself to some valuables, Dickson decided to leave through the garage. After discovering the automatic garage door was stuck closed, Dickson turned around and was horrified to realize he’d locked himself inside. To make matters worse, the family he was stealing from had just left for an extended vacation, so Dickson lived off of soda and dried dog food for eight days. When the family returned and found the unlucky burglar, a lawsuit was filed — by Dickson! He sued for mental anguish, and the jury awarded him $500,000.
were rightfully enraged. There was just one problem: Terrence Dickson never existed.
In 2002, a reporter from Pennsylvania contacted the Bucks County prothonotary's office, where all records for civil cases in the county are kept. He discovered there was no record of any cases involving such a burglar. It’s worth noting the original email where this story first appeared ended with a call for tort reform from a made-up law firm in Ohio. Likely, this hoax was an attempt to manipulate the public perception of the justice system. Despite being debunked 17 years ago, this tall tale still makes the rounds and often appears on lists of “outrageous lawsuits,” many of which are featured on the websites of legitimate law firms!
There’s nothing that shakes our faith in the justice system quite like injustice being served. When Dickson’s story
There are plenty of wacky legal cases, but when a story is too ridiculous,
first gained notoriety in 2001, thanks to an email circulated by the now-defunct Stella Awards newsletter, which highlighted “outrageous lawsuits,” people
there’s a good chance a few important details are being left out or the readers are being lied to. Don’t believe everything you read online!
YOUR REFERRALS MEAN THE WORLD TO US There is no greater compliment we can receive than a client telling a friend or loved one about us. If you know somebody who has been injured and needs an attorney who will fight on their behalf and give their case the attention it deserves, please pass along this newsletter and have them give us a call at 314-293-4222. Thank you for spreading the word about Finney Injury Law.
IMPOSSIBLY SILKY MASHED POTATOES
Inspired by Food & Wine magazine
• 4 Ibs. medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved • 6 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes • 1/2 cup heavy cream • Kosher salt INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
1. In a stockpot or large saucepan, submerge potatoes in just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil, add 2 tbsp of salt, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. 2. Drain potatoes and let cool for 3 minutes. 3. Using a ricer, grate potatoes into the original saucepan over medium heat. 4. With a wooden spoon, stir potatoes until they begin to stick to pan and steam, about 2 minutes. 5. Add butter in four equal batches, stirring constantly and adding each batch only once the last has been fully incorporated into the saucepan. 6. Stir in cream, season liberally with salt, and serve immediately.
| 3 314-293-4222
Published by The Newsletter Pro | www.TheNewsletterPro.com
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog