Does taking a picture of an image on your television violate copyright protection?
I enjoy the drama that is The People's Court. It is on Monday through Friday at 1 p.m. This is around the time I get home from work. I have grown fond of Judge Marylin Milian. She is a pretty tuff cookie. Her personality is both lively and earnest. I especially like to watch when she spills her morals on social issues she takes to heart: She doesn't like to see young people starting families before they are ready. Nor does she approve of people who run out on their responsibilities financial or moral. Judge Milian doesn't miss an opportunity to chide unscrupulous litigants. That can either be fun to watch or embarrassing.
I would like to use this journal to share two of my favorite cases. Both cases were Lottery related.
In the first the plaintiff was suing the owner of a liquor store where he had purchased his lottery numbers. The owner of the store had input the wrong numbers into the computer so the plaintiff did not purchase the numbers he had intended to buy. The plaintiff was not aware that he did not get the correct numbers till later. When he checked the lottery results it turned out the numbers he had originally intended on played but the numbers he got didn't. I think the prize was $250. So he took the liquor store owner to court, sued him for the lottery prize $250. The plaintiff told the court that he always played the same numbers and that if it hadn't been for the incompetence of the defendant he would be $250 richer. Judge Milian found that the plaintiff should have corrected the mistake when he purchased the ticket. Besides, if the 'wrong' numbers he had bought won would he still have taken the liquor store owner to court? Would he have rejected the prize? It was a case of "Buyer Beware."
In the second case the plaintiff had won $2000 in a state lottery. However he couldn't collect the prize because he owed the government money in unpaid taxes. If he were to cash in the ticket the Lotto commission would find out he owed the government and the money would go to the government. So what does the unlucky winner do? He asks his neighbor to cash the ticket. Offers him $200 of the prize. So his neighbor goes to collect. Upon turning in the ticket theneighbor finds out that he also owes the IRS. It came out that his ex-wife had been given financial aid because he had never paid child support. So he owed the government money for not paying child support. This comes up when he turns in the ticket. The prize money then goes towards payment of this debt. The original winner sues his neighbor for failing to collect his money. Though the Judge deemed that both litigants were trying to deceive the government the defendant did benefit from what happened. His debt to the government had been reduced by $2000. Even though he didn't know about the debt he still had some of it payed off. She ordered the defendant to pay the plaintiff $1800. She did not rule for the whole $2000 because a payment of $200 had been agreed upon at the beginning of the deal. I felt sorry for the defendant. But I understand the judge's ruling.
Our system of justice, civil and criminal, is such an integral part of our society. I am glad that this show allows me a glimpse of what happens in that world.
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