The Washington judge who sued his dry cleaners for millions of dollars in damages after they misplaced his trousers has lost his case - and may yet end up losing his shirt in the process.
Roy Pearson made worldwide headlines when it was revealed the Washington DC judge was claiming $54m for the loss of his trousers - pants, in the American dialect - in suing his local dry cleaners. But he had his day in court yesterday - only to have his suit - and his pants - thrown out.
Judge Pearson - who represented himself in - argued that the fact that his dry cleaner had a sign reading "Satisfaction guaranteed" in its window meant the loss of his trousers amounted to fraud and entitled him to unlimited compensation. (This in legal circles is known as the "Homer Simpson gambit" - a reference to the famous case of Simpson versus the Frying Dutchman restaurant on the grounds that it did not supply "all you can eat".)
The presiding judge was not impressed [PDF]: "The court finds that the plaintiff is not entitled to any relief whatsoever," ruled Judge Judith Bartnoff of DC's superior court.
Even though the cleaners said they found the trousers, Pearson claimed they were cheap replacements. He later turned down the offer of a $12,000 settlement earlier this year. But now he faces $5,000 in court fees, and may even have to pay the estimated $100,000 in legal fees that Custom Dry Cleaners had to pay over the four years the case has dragged on.
Now, though, Pearson may even lose his job as an administrative judge - and all for trousers from a suit he claimed cost $1,000, and had paid just $10.50 to get the waist let out.
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