Richie v. Paramount Pictures Corp.

In a family violence story,
Our pics wrongly showed up on Maury.
The damage by Povich,
Said Judge Tomljanovich:
It must be concrete loss of glory.

Richie v. Paramount Pictures Corp., 544 N.W.2d 21 (Minn. 1996)
(discussing presumed and specific damages for defamation).

People v. Gleghorn

A man whom you threatened to beat
Volleyed an arrow to greet
His hint was the flight
When you start the fight:
To claim self-defense, first retreat

People v. Gleghorn, 193 Cal.App.3d 196 (1987)
(no right to self-defense against another's response to a person's own aggression, unless the person first retreats).

Regina v. Faulkner

While out to purloin some libation
A sailor did cause conflagration
Should unlawful objective
Grow the aim of corrective?
The verdict below saw negation.

Regina v. Faulkner, 13 Cox C.C. 550
(Hat Tip: F. M. '12)

Chicago v. Morales

Hangin' 'round without purpose apparent
In Chicago offends law not transparent
To fight a crime plague
They made law that's vague
The court ruled the ordinance errant.

Chicago v. Morales, 527 U.S. 41 (1999)
(loitering law held unconstitutionally vague).

Ghen v. Rich

In industry worth several million
A conflict on subject Melvillian
When, at first, capture fails
Who owns the dead whales?
By custom? or rule more Vaudvillian?

(Custom.)
Ghen v. Rich, 8 F. 159 (D. Mass. 1881).

Proctor v. State

Selling booze was a landlord's intention
Against which the State sought prevention
But they made as their actus
A quite lawful practice
The court would not buy that contention

Proctor v. State, 176 P. 771, 15 Okla. Crim. 338 (1918).

Deli v. University of Minnesota

There once was a coach of gymnastics
Who taped a pursuit not monastic
While "recharging the battery"
She was loving like Chatterly
Her damages claimed were bombastic

Deli v. Univ. of Minn., 578 N.W.2d 779 (Minn. Ct. App. 1998).

De Minimus Rex

When my fungal delights caused kerfluffles
Over tubers, you'd sue to make scuffles
To me it's no vex
I say, "non curat lex"
The law won't concern 'tself with truffles

Hadley v. Baxendale

In Gloucester once there was a mill
For lack of a shaft it went still
The postman delayed
But costs weren't defrayed
'Twas not a foreseeable bill

Hadley v. Baxendale, 9 Exch. 341, 156 Eng. Rep. 145 (1854).

Grayson v. Irvmar Realty Corp.

Once a girl with ambitions operatic
Raised a question of damage problematic
An injury to her pitches
Prevented far-'way riches
The award she got was ov'rly numismatic

Grayson v. Irvmar Realty Corp., 7 A.D.2d 436, 184 N.Y.S.2d 33 (1959).