popsickle_in_one t1_is54hy9 wrote on October 13, 2022 at 11:31 AM

Reply to comment by StrangePlaces405 in TIL at the end of the Top Gear US Special after arriving in New Orleans, the hosts gave their cars away instead of selling them as originally planned after seeing the damage from Hurricane Katrina by PrettyPinkPonyPrince

It's an American thing because rando claims like that can just get thrown out before being heard in other countries.

Also, in sensible places, losing a case in court means you pay the legal fees of both sides, so there is no risk for someone who has done nothing wrong getting sued.

In the US, they just have to make it so going to court is more expensive than just paying them off so you get people suing over all sorts of stupid shit.

SandysBurner t1_is5y2ub wrote on October 13, 2022 at 3:21 PM

>Also, in sensible places, losing a case in court means you pay the legal fees of both sides, so there is no risk for someone who has done nothing wrong getting sued.

If you have to pay both parties' legal fees if you lose, doesn't that make it basically impossible to sue somebody who can afford better lawyers than you?

Cystems t1_is70s4c wrote on October 13, 2022 at 7:33 PM

It's a courts decision, so not necessarily guaranteed. There was a case here where a semi-famous entertainer got sued for defamation, and just before the case went to trial the person suing withdrew the case (cos it was bullshit in my opinion) and the court ordered him to pay all legal costs. I think the judge was pissed he wasted everyone's time.

But you're right, that can be a downside, but I think that'll be true of all systems. You lost your court case because they could afford better lawyers. Or not even better lawyers, they could just afford to drag out the case until you went bankrupt with legal fees.

popsickle_in_one t1_is7g4zg wrote on October 13, 2022 at 9:11 PM

The opposite.

In the US, rich people can afford to hire expensive lawyers to just hold up proceedings until the poor people can no longer afford to continue (see Trump)

Elsewhere, if you have a case, the better lawyers will be on your side because they know they'll get paid. You also get to keep all of your awarded money rather than having to spend most of it on your own legal team.

But if you don't have a case (see above litigious asshole thing) then you deserve to have to pay for wasting everyone's time.

Win win

NPO_Tater t1_is8823z wrote on October 14, 2022 at 12:33 AM

> rando claims like that can just get thrown out before being heard in other countries. > > Also, in sensible places, losing a case in court means you pay the legal fees of both sides, so there is no risk for someone who has done nothing wrong getting sued.

Damn, so exactly the same system the US has...