By: BEVERLY BUTULA//March 29, 2010//
I find it entertaining when a judge puts a bit of humor in an opinion or when they are creative when drafting a decision. Several years ago, a friend told me about Fischer v. Lowe, 333 N.W. 2d 67 (Mich. Ct. App. 1983). The case is about an incident involving a car and a tree. The decision is quite poetic (think Joyce Kilmer). I’ve also been told of a Michigan judge, when ruling on a case involving rapper Eminem, created a rap to express her opinion.
The Marian Gould Gallagher Law Library at the University of Washington has a great website dedicated to Judicial Humor. Topics include parody & verse in opinions, veiled references, animals in opinions, humorous plaintiffs, and extraordinary circumstances.