jojo ♥

Monday, May 24

Best Legal Story I’ve seen in a while

Surgeon in Legal Tussle over Dog
By K.C. Vijayan in The Straits Times, published 19 May 2010

Here’s the gist: Surgeon and girlfriend bought a terrier in US, registered themselves as co-owners. Later, upon splitting up cordially, the ex girlfriend returned to Singapore with the dog, registering with the relevant authorities as owner.

One fine day, she discovered the dog is lost and after a week’s search, found it to be in her ex’s place in Singapore. She alleged that the surgeon has stole the dog; he insist that he’s the co-owner and is therefore entitled to keeping the dog; she falls into depression.

The lady decides to take legal action – suing him for custody of the dog. So far, legal actions have taken SGD 8,000 (note that a new dog of the same breed will cost SGD 1,500, but yes, I understand the attachment to the dog). In the latest development, the Court granted that the dog should reside with the lady as she is registered as owner in Singapore.

And this brouhaha took place in the High Court. Why, doesn’t the family court take care of custody cases?

Okay, I am not anti-dog-owners or have a hatred for dogs. I like HuiJing and Zorro, Aileen and her two dogs well enough :P

But to bring an ex to court because you guys cannot amicably resolve the ownership is just too funny to pass up.

Anyway, isn’t the High Court good for cases with damages above SGD 250,000? (correct me if I’m wrong) Is she planning to claim that much for her bouts of depression and suffering?

Just an opinion. (:

And, some comments on ST:
• “when love is over…. The fury of a woman scorn”
• “…ST is trying to tell us that rich people in Singapore have nowhere to spend their money and that even doctors are not beyond petty acts of theft”
• “these two people should be locked up in...Woodbridge (and) they should also put the ST editor in the next cell… Why waste good paper and space in ST for an idiotic wayang show… RIDICULOUS!”
• “they call it Institute of Mental Health”

WHAHAHAHAH! This totally made my morning.

13:34