Adam Engelhart

The Most Entertaining Torts Case Ever

September 12th, 2005

From Cordas v. Peerless Transp. Co., 27 N. Y. S. 2d 198 (1941):

This case presents the ordinary man–that problem child of the law–in a most bizarre setting. As a lowly chauffeur in defendant’s employ he became in a trice the protagonist in a breach-bating drama with a denouement almost tragic. It appears that a man, whose identity it would be indelicate to divluge was feloniously relieved of his portable goods by two nondescript highwaymen in an alley near 26th Street and Third Avenue, Manhattan; they induced him to relinquish his possessions by a strong argument ad hominem couched in the convincing cant of the criminal and pressed at the point of a most persuasive pistol.

The judge goes on, quoting no fewer than four of Shakespeare’s plays and generally being very, very witty. If I ever end up being a judge, I get the feeling I’ll write at least one of these . . .

Entry Filed under: Law