Judge Sues Cleaners Over Million Dollar Pants...Again!

When forming a lawsuit, one must determine what the lawsuit is all about. This, in fact, is what makes lawsuits so interesting. One person's point-of-view versus another person's point-of-view combined with the rational of a judge (and possibly a jury). But, what if one of those point-of-views involved in the lawsuit is a judge? Does that make them more liable for the rational of their lawsuit? All signs point to no....

Although the history of this case began in May 2005, one judge recently tried to sue for millions of dollars because of a pair of pants, or more specifically, because of a lack of customer satisfaction due to a lost pair of pants. Yes, the case of the judge who sued a dry cleaning company owned by a South Korean couple, the Chungs, for $54 million dollars due to the loss of a pair of pants was an interesting one, but it is not over. Yes, that is right; a judge from the District of Columbia has taken lawsuits too far by appealing his June 2007 loss.

Apparently, he really does believe that these pants are worth $54 million!

A Brief History of the Case

A hard-working South Korean couple opened a dry cleaning business called Custom Cleaners. Together, they prided themselves on offering "Satisfaction Guaranteed" to all of their customers. One day, a newly-appointed Judge Roy Pearson needed some pants that required alterations. When he returned, he claimed that the pants that he received were not his.

At that time, Judge Pearson requested approximately $1000, which was quite a bit more than a reimbursement for either the $10.50 alteration or for the pair of pants. Years later, a lawsuit was formed that claimed validity for $67 million which was sought to recover legal and punitive costs. Before the two-day trial began, the lawsuit was dropped to a mere $54 million.

After much consideration, District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff arrived at the verdict that Judge Pearson had yet to prove that the pants that the Chungs offered him were not his, nor had he proven that his interpretation of "satisfaction guaranteed" was a legitimate one.

Is a Case about a Pair of Pants Worth Losing Your Job?

Most recently, Judge Pearson has been advised that he may not be reappointed to his position. Turns out, court officials are not too keen on the idea of a judge not understanding what a rational settlement is and what is not. It kind of takes away from that whole fairness factor that the judicial system prides itself on following.

In all fairness to Judge Pearson, his loss of a job is supposedly not all about his interesting lawsuit. In fact, it seems that a majority of his problems lie in his temperament over the past few years.

Regardless, this case is far from over. Stay tuned to see what Judge Pearson will do next. It seems he will make history one way or the other, even if is as the "guy who made the world forget about the McDonald's coffee case."

But it begs the question, "Are a pair of pants worth losing your job?" If you win, one could argue on the yes side, since the lawsuit is worth a substantial amount that accounts for more than a judge's salary for the remained of your career. However, if you lose, you could be out a salary and a settlement. How do you decide?

Judge Pearson has already made his decision. As a judge, he must have been aware of the fact that, should he decide to pursue this case, he would risk his own position on the bench. This is especially so since he is not attacking corporate American, but rather an immigrant couple from South Korea who has since rallied support from people around the nation.

Then, once he lost, he could have let it go, but instead, he has decided to appeal. Either he likes the idea of being an underdog or he truly believes he is in the right. Either way that is what makes the case of the "million dollar pants" such an interesting one.