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[By The Judge]
Someone in heaven must be looking out for me. A week ago, if someone had asked me to create my ideal job, I would have tried to come up with something
involving all of my passions: ice cream, Three’s Company reruns, and napping. But since no one will pay me to vegetate on my parents’ sofa, eat fudgesicles,
and exchange knowing glances with Mr. Roeper (Why is he always looking straight into the camera? Is he trying to tell me that he knows Jack isn’t really
gay?), I had to come up with Plan B. And what a glorious Plan B it was: to find work that involved surfing the Internet and learning about the trials and
tribulations of my beloved colleagues. But could I make it happen? The answer: a resounding YES. When LawCrossing offered me the opportunity to take
over Inside Legal Blogs, I naturally jumped at the opportunity. (Well, maybe I just nodded my head, but who’s really keeping track?)
Moving on, this week in the world of legal land taxes (in the form of real money, not Over at isthatlegal, I learned about JAIL
blogs has been full of good old-fashioned imaginary lindens) on these virtual real for judges. JAIL, the Judicial Accountability
family fun...well, maybe not family fun in estate transactions; players can cash in Initiative Law (How long do you think it took
the case of Tonya Barnhart (discussed their lindens for real money, as well. Bragg someone to come up with that acronym?),
at Overlawyered), who sued Paisano brought suit, alleging that Linden seized his may be passed by Amendment E on South
Publications, LLC, claiming unreasonable virtual land and $2,000 (again, real money, Dakota’s Election Day ballot. JAIL would
intrusion, false light invasion of privacy, not lindens). Linden claims Bragg’s land allow boards of volunteer citizens to hear
and appropriation of her likeness, after was seized because he purchased it via an complaints from disgruntled litigants and
it published a photograph of her “baring unauthorized auction. criminal defendants who are unsatisfied
her breasts at a pig roast for motorcycle with the results of their trials. This volunteer
enthusiasts.” (Yes, you read that correctly). “The case is one of the first lawsuits committee would have the power to subject
U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz involving virtual property, but many more judges to criminal and civil liability. Okay,
of Maryland ruled against Barnhart on are likely to follow,” said assistant professor people, what’s scarier: abolishing judicial
summary judgment. Her behavior “cannot at Rutgers School of Law, Camden, Greg immunity or the idea that people would
reasonably be said to have constituted a Lastowka. He added, “The idea of property actually volunteer for something that sounds
private act,” Motz wrote. “She exposed in virtual worlds is not a stretch.” The a lot like jury duty?
herself at an outdoor fundraising event open case hinges on whether property rights
to any member of the public who purchased are outweighed by user agreements. “The And, finally, because Halloween passed by
a ticket.” Well, jeez, give the girl some credit; question is: ‘Do the non-negotiable contracts too quickly, I thought I’d throw something
at least they had to purchase tickets. that let you participate and buy things in truly frightening into the mix. According to
games…do they trump any possible property LegalBlogWatch, Walter Seward of West
Jamiroquai was right: the future is made interest you might acquire in the game?’” Orange, NJ, enjoyed legal practice so much
up of virtual insanity, complete with virtual Lastowka said. he stuck with it for 80 years. Like I said,
property. Law.com reports that Internet- truly frightening. On a brighter note, he
based game company Linden Lab is being For me, the idea that real property exists just celebrated his 110th birthday. Happy
sued by Marc Bragg for the seizure of in virtual worlds is kind of a stretch. Then Birthday, Walter!
virtual real estate. In the Internet game again, physics was never my forte; that’s
Second Life, players accrue imaginary why I’m a lawyer. On a side note, kudos Until next week...
currency called “lindens” (which they can to anyone who can convince people to use
purchase using real money) by partaking in real money to buy fake money. That’s what
real estate ventures with virtual property. I call true genius.
Linden Lab profits by collecting sales and
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