Miscellaneous

There Oughta Be a Law

By Anne Skove, Esq.

Do paparazzi and charitable donations need more legislation?

In California, some people need a motorcade to get their ambulance to the hospital. New legislation would require professional sleb watchers to leave a "personal safety zone" around their subjects.

Is this a step in the right direction? We doubt it. By the time they get around to figuring out who's considered "paparazzi," who fits the definition of "celebrity," and what constitutes "too close," several applicable remedies relating to various laws (traffic, criminal and/or civil assault and/or battery, trespass, etc.) could be invoked. And, it's not clear whether this measure would protect non-celebrity victims, such as innocent bystanders.

See Britney Bill Aims to Prevent Paparazzi Disaster, Karen Grigsby Bates, All Things Considered (February 15, 2008).

North to Alaska, where charitable donations have taken a turn for the completely altruistic. A staffer who volunteered to donate a kidney to a state legislator nearly ran afoul of limits on compassionate gifts. The law, which capped gifts at $250, was altered to allow the donation. (Though the staffer might have argued that the kidney cost her nothing!)

Listen to Alaska Law Change Helps Kidney Donation, Melissa Block, All Things Considered (February 15, 2008).

Full post as published by court-o-rama.org on February 18, 2008 (boomark / email).