Spoiled Kids Sue Mother

[Alrocsmash]

What bothers me is, in the ruling, they were talking about how, while her parenting wasn't ideal, it wasn't worthy of a suit. Her parenting wasn't ideal because she didn't bend to her kids' every whim.

When did "good parenting" become "never saying no"?

When America ran out of real problems 10 years ago. (excluding losing a job).

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

First world problems:
"My mother didn't send me a care package when I went to college. If there is any justice in this world, I will win this court case."

Third world problems:
"My mother was eaten by a lion when she went to get water and now my brother has died of dehydration. If there is any justice in the world, Joe Mcelderry will get a number one single."

Cookie for the comedy reference.

OT: I would disown the kids for that, they're just pathetic. I'm glad the court threw it out, but I wouldn't be surprised if they accepted it though. Can anyone tell me where the legal issue is in this?

 

[MetalMagpie]

Let's judge people without knowing the full story! I mean, the media always has accurate reports and never distorts the truth in order to create controversy, right?

Well said. These sort of trashy stories are entertaining because they give the reader an excuse to feel superior. It's best to remember that the media realises this, and so spins them accordingly.

She hardly seems to have been World's Best Mum, if the statement by the judge is anything to go by:
"At its worst, it reflects behavior that is sometimes erratic, sometimes spiteful, sometimes less than generous or fully sensitive to the material and emotional needs of her children..."

But he concludes that she hasn't done enough to be charged with a crime. So all is well in the world.

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

When it says 'sending her son care packages', all i can think of is her throwing a flare into his room and him receiving a killstreak. What have i become...

So it's not just me?
Thank god.

I've just been having images of some poor soul being struck in the face by one and rag-dolling away...
Plus it was probably ammo, so double fail.
...
You know... i second your last sentence of that quote.
Maybe time to play some Brink and have a break...

 

[TimeLord]

Yeah I heard this on the radio yesterday. Only in America, I swear.

At least the court threw it out. It could have been so much worse and the court could have sided with the children!

 

[ckam]

Ah, yes. That's the thing with the entire world. Not only in America, just to let you know.

 

[erto101]

Yeah I heard this on the radio yesterday. Only in America, I swear.

Nope! A fully educated lawyer from Italy sued her parents for wanting to kick her out and not paying her money anymore... and she won.

 

[ZetaLegacies]

Those kids must be really stupid, If they actually won the court case then I would've lost alot of hope in humanity.

 

[Avatar Roku]

Let's judge people without knowing the full story! I mean, the media always has accurate reports and never distorts the truth in order to create controversy, right?

This is a list of all the allegations given to the court:
http://volokh.com/2011/08/28/adult-children-sue-mother-for-allegedly-having-been-really-mean/

You can make up your own mind about it, but definitely seeing them all listed there it is not as clear cut as the scathing article makes out, and it does appear that the mother was being deliberately stubborn and difficult with her children, a few of the most interesting allegations:

After the divorce, Garrity tried to obtain custody of Kathryn, arguing that the plaintiffs ought to be separated since Steven had been abused by a female adult and therefore might abuse Kathryn. (According to the complaint, this was ironic, since Garrity was the one who abused Steven in the first place. The complaint does not specify what kind of abuse Garrity allegedly committed.)

In 1989, prior to the divorce, while Steven?s father was at work, Steven?s right arm was fractured. Garrity allegedly told different people different stories about what happened: she told the father that it occurred while Steven was at daycare (while refusing to place a claim with the daycare?s medical insurance provider), she told Steven?s paternal grandmother that it occurred while Steven was with a friend, and she later told Steven that it occurred while he was with a babysitter.

So it strikes me that the mother may be guilty of some sneaky emotional abuse against the children, (maybe even physical) I have relatives who can be maliciously controlling and fickle like that, and you just can't trust any gossipy story they tell you, and you can't tell them anything but they'll take it out of context and spread it around, but at the end of the day I would never want to sue them, then again they aren't my mother.

I dunno, still seems kinda clear to me. There's only a couple complaints in there that are actually legitimate (you quoted them), but the rest range from frivolous to outright deceptive (more on that in a second), so I'm inclined to believe that those legit ones (which were buried within, not displayed prominently as major complaints as you would expect) were made up.

As for the deception, here's one that comes to mind: the suit complains that she never took her son, Steven, to a health care professional. This is despite the fact that, as stated earlier in the suit, she did not have any custody over him whatsoever. Am I the only one who sees that as deceptive?

 

[Beautiful End]

*Ahem*

LOLOLOLOOLOOLLLOOL!1!!!11

If that's the case, then anyone can sue their parents for slapping their hands, for grounding them, for curfews, for not getting a car at 18, for not getting the right bday gifts...

Well, that's just bullshit with fries! :

The mother is in no way at fault here, even if the judge thinks she's being negligent or whatever. The kids got a car, they got something when they went away to college, there are no records of beating them up or verbal abuse or anything like that. So what's the crime?
Really, the mom should counter-sue. She DOES have a case now.

 

[Treblaine]

And they actually lose! There is hope, however minute, for the US civil court system!

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110828/news/708289848/

Basic story is that two kids sued their mother when she didn't do such things as buy a homecoming dress for her daughter, send her son care packages while he was in college, and changed her last name after divorcing the children's father. The court, and now the appeals court, tossed it out.

Side note: There are reports that the father of the children was their lawyer. Not positive though.

I don't see how this is news.

People bring frivolous lawsuits to court all the time, and all the time they are dismissed.

This would be news if it was WON!

 

[Kuroneko97]

Kids are becoming more and more spoiled these days. I can testify. I'm still a kid. But I try not to be.

 

[Wintermoot]

you would actually think the legal system would have refused to go through with this.
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!
HOW HARD IS IT TO SPANK A BRATTY LITTLE SHIT?!

 

[SyphonX]

I'm sorry, but I'm finding this very hard to believe. I live in America, and I am usually quick to jump some of 'Murika's asshattery, conspiracies and injustice, but this is just absurd. It's pretty damn clear to me that there is more to the case, otherwise the case wouldn't exist.

It's likely there is more serious cases of neglect, or possibly substance abuse, or defamation, etc. It doesn't take more than 2 sentences before the Daily Herald shits out their one-liner for the dolts to eat it up.

Trust me, there really are insane court cases in America, but this probably isn't one of them. I could dig around to find more on the story, but frankly I don't care that much. I tend to spend that time focusing on UN violations, and Libya and all that more important stuff.

 

[ssgt splatter]

Does that mean I can sue my mom if she doesn't put butter on my toast?

Technically, I think you are allowed to sue for just about anything, it's just that the court system can, like we see here, throw it out and refuse to take it.

As for my response to this post/article:
"there is no middle finger big enough"
(that is my new catch-phrase)

 

[TJC]

You know I seriously think that a lot of judges in the USA are srs trolls and only take such cases to piddle into someone's breakfast cereals. XD

otherwise, every judge over there should have a perfectly flat surface where their face used to be because of the constant FACEPALMING

 

[The Night Shade]

This is something i expect for a Malcolm in the Middle episode

 

[Rin Little]

*headdesk* I hate people... that is all I can really say at this point. If I were their mom I would've said, "Fine, you want to be an adult and sue someone for stupid reasons, then you can support yourself and pay for everything you want/need like an adult too." They're over 18, she has no legal responsibility towards them anymore.

 

[Ickorus]

What's sadder still is how the courts are acting like the woman is a terrible mother even though they dismissed the case, seriously, my parents must be completely horrible, they could never afford to buy me lots of frivolous things and i've had several birthdays where gifts were thin on the ground due to money troubles or other such things and im pretty sure im still a functional member of society.

Material needs of children my arse, all they need is parents who care and it's all good.