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Show I THE READER'S COURTROOM . Some Promises Aren't Binding By Will Bernard, LL.B ' Are You Bound by a Promise Made Under Great Emotional Stress? A sudden fire trapped a woman in the attic of her home, and firemen fire-men were unable to reach her. In the midst of the blaze, the woman's husband returned from his office. Frantically, he cried: "I'll pay $5,-000 $5,-000 to anybody who brings out my wife dead or alive!" A bystander rushed into the flaming house, fought his way upstairs, and carried car-ried the woman out. Unfortunately, A woman wrote a magazine article arti-cle maliciously and inaccurately attacking the character of George Washington. Acting on the protests of outraged citizens, the police arrested ar-rested the writer on charges of defamation. de-famation. At the trial, she argued that her attack couldn't do any harm because Washington and his family were all dead anyhow! But the court found the woman guilty as charged. The judge said that it was wrong to maliciously blacken the name of a person who still lived in the memories of his countrymen. May You Stop The Neighbor's Dog From Howling? A doctor fitted up a room at the back of his home, and began using it as an office. All went well until a new family moved In next door with a dog. Every morning the neighbors would go out for about two hours, leaving the dog locked in a bedroom. During that time, the animal would give vent to such m WW she had already died from suffocation. suffoca-tion. Later the rescuer demanded the $5000 he had been promised. The husband pleaded that he should not be bound by a promise under such circumstances, but the court ruled that he must indeed pay the full amount. The judge pointed out that the bystander had risked his own life to fulfill the husband's plea and therefore was entitled to his reward. An advertising executive quarrelled quar-relled with his wife almost daily. At last, after an especially bitter exchange, ex-change, they decided to call It quits. Acting on a friend's advice, they soon obtained a "mail order divorce" di-vorce" from a court in a foreign country without ever leaving town! However, when the decree was tested test-ed later In a United States court, the couple found out that they were still considered husband and wife. The judge said that the foreign court had no jurisdiction over the parties. a howling and yelping that the doctor doc-tor could hardly examine his patients. pa-tients. At last he went to court for an injunction. The neighbors argued arg-ued that there is nothing unlawful about the barking of a dog, but the court granted the doctor's request. The judge said a dog's noisemak-ing noisemak-ing is ordinarily permissible, but at least must be kept within reasonable reason-able bounds! |