Lando Calrissian, without doubt the classiest administrator the Bespin Cloud City had ever known, was in a pickle. Lando had just recently been able to bring the tibanna gas mining operation back up to profitable levels through the use of incredibly inexpensive ugnaught labor. The tibanna gas mined by the ugnaught mining crews and frozen in carbonite by ugnaught carbonite tech crews was distributed throughout the galaxy for use in developing hyperdrive and weapon technology. While some had murmured that the 18+ hour shifts and dangerous working conditions the ugnaughts toiled under were immoral, Calrissian easily shrugged off these complaints, knowing full well that the ugnaughts were a hardy, hard-working race. Besides, production was high and the credits were pouring into the station like a Naboo waterfall.
The Galactic Imperial Senate (just before its forceful dissolution) caught wind of this activity, as well as other such clandestine uses of diminutive species labor in the Outer Rim, and fearing a theoretical "race to the bottom" in labor standards throughout the galaxy, raised legislation that set wage levels and affixed limits on the amount of work hours. Under this legislation, any goods constructed from such "scoundrel-esque" and "rogue-ish" uses of labor could be barred from entering interplanetary commerce.
Calrissian, seeing the writing on the wall, had his chief administrator and legal advisor, Lobot, file an injunctive complaint with the Imperial Court, stating that the Imperial Senate had no power to create such legislation, that any supposedly applicable interplanetary commerce clause under the Old Republic constitution would be inapplicable to the Bespin Cloud City's mining activities; that mining as a purely local activity is too indirectly related to interplanetary commerce to fall under the Old Republic Senate's classic means of enacting legislation. The complaint further suggested that Imperial Senate's invocation of the almost ancient clause was merely a "pretext" for enacting legislation affecting purely planetary issues, a firm violation of the Cloud City's sovereignty.
The Imperial Court agreed, stating that the tibanna gas in question was not a harmful item that could be kept out of interplanetary commerce, simply the nature of the gas' mining and manufacturing was offensive to the Imperial Senate. As mining, manufacturing, hydrofarming and other forms of production were all planetary issues out of the Empire's hands (at the time), the Court struck down the legislation, allowing Calrissian's callous use of ugnaught labor to continue. Little did the Imperial Court know however, that by striking down the Imperial Senate's legislation that they had only made it more powerful then they could even imagine... [See, US v. Darby- (US Supreme Court, 1944)]
Showing posts with label Lando Calrissian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lando Calrissian. Show all posts
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Lucy v. Zehmer- (Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia, 1954)
Lando Calrissian operated a classy restaurant on Corellia before he became the classy administrator of the classiest Cloud City on Bespin. Han Solo, a friend of Lando's who was severely lacking class and hoping to obtain some, came to Lando's restaurant just before close one night and offered to buy Lando's classiest vessel, the Millenium Falcon. Han had discussed this matter with Lando many times before, and each time Lando had politely but sternly assured his "good buddy" that the Falcon simply was not for sale.
This night, Han brought with him a large box of "space wine" and the two began to drink and once again discuss the terms under which Han might buy the Falcon. Han claimed that he could pay 50,000 Imperial Credits cash that he had just saved up from several smuggling jobs via the Kessel Run. Lando said that for 50,000 he'd accept (believing his "good buddy" to be lying and wishing to call his bluff) and sell the Falcon to Han. In an attempt to force Han to admit he didn't have the credits, he even wrote out a contract of sale on the back of one of the restaurant's receipt, and signed it. Han then grabbed the receipt and offered Lando 5 credits down payment to seal the deal. Lando declined, still thinking that Han didn't have the credits. Han then proceeded to get Chewbacca to help him get the rest of the funding together.
When Han came to Lando a week later with the "contract" and the 50,000 credits, Lando refused to convey the start up code to the Falcon, stating that he had been "joking" and that he had never intended to sell the Falcon, that it had all been a joke. Han sued for specific performance, and the court granted, stating that it would have been impossible for Han or anyone else (who wasn't a telepath) to know that Lando was joking from his outward appearance. Lando claimed in court that he was very drunk from the space wine, but the court was not convinced, knowing full well that Lando was a man who could handle his liquors.
This night, Han brought with him a large box of "space wine" and the two began to drink and once again discuss the terms under which Han might buy the Falcon. Han claimed that he could pay 50,000 Imperial Credits cash that he had just saved up from several smuggling jobs via the Kessel Run. Lando said that for 50,000 he'd accept (believing his "good buddy" to be lying and wishing to call his bluff) and sell the Falcon to Han. In an attempt to force Han to admit he didn't have the credits, he even wrote out a contract of sale on the back of one of the restaurant's receipt, and signed it. Han then grabbed the receipt and offered Lando 5 credits down payment to seal the deal. Lando declined, still thinking that Han didn't have the credits. Han then proceeded to get Chewbacca to help him get the rest of the funding together.
When Han came to Lando a week later with the "contract" and the 50,000 credits, Lando refused to convey the start up code to the Falcon, stating that he had been "joking" and that he had never intended to sell the Falcon, that it had all been a joke. Han sued for specific performance, and the court granted, stating that it would have been impossible for Han or anyone else (who wasn't a telepath) to know that Lando was joking from his outward appearance. Lando claimed in court that he was very drunk from the space wine, but the court was not convinced, knowing full well that Lando was a man who could handle his liquors.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Gammon v. Osteopathic Hospital of Maine- (Supreme Court of Maine, 1987)
Lobot, Lando Calrissian's assistant on the floating Cloud City on Bespin was grieving his recently deceased mother, as well as the loss of his employer Lando Calrissian due to his high-stakes contracting with the Empire (see Williams v Thomas-Walker Furniture Co- (Federal Court of Appeals-DC Circuit, 1965). Later that day, Lobot received a package from the Cloud City infirmary that he believed contained his dead mother's personal effects. When he opened the bag, he discovered that it only contained Luke Skywalker's severed hand, which while cauterized by Darth Vader's lightsaber strike, had begun to rot and turned blue in the process.
Lobot claimed to suffer emotional distress from the incident, having cyborg/human relations malfunctions and administration-related nightmares, growing distant from his family. Lobot did not report any physical ailments suffering from his emotional distress, nor did he seek professional help from the Cloud City counselor.
He sued the Cloud City infirmary for emotional damages. The court ruled that while Lobot was not within the "zone of danger", he had satisfied the court's newly established test that an individual must suffer "more emotional damage than a reasonable cyborg could bear", and held that the infirmary was obviously negligent in its mishandling of bodily remains. The court also noted that as family member of someone who was recently deceased, Lobot was much more likely to be trustworthy, limiting concerns of future floods of litigation.
Lobot claimed to suffer emotional distress from the incident, having cyborg/human relations malfunctions and administration-related nightmares, growing distant from his family. Lobot did not report any physical ailments suffering from his emotional distress, nor did he seek professional help from the Cloud City counselor.
He sued the Cloud City infirmary for emotional damages. The court ruled that while Lobot was not within the "zone of danger", he had satisfied the court's newly established test that an individual must suffer "more emotional damage than a reasonable cyborg could bear", and held that the infirmary was obviously negligent in its mishandling of bodily remains. The court also noted that as family member of someone who was recently deceased, Lobot was much more likely to be trustworthy, limiting concerns of future floods of litigation.
Labels:
Bespin,
Cloud City,
Emotional Harm,
Lando Calrissian,
Lobot,
Luke Skywalker,
Severed Limbs,
Torts
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Williams v Thomas-Walker Furniture Co- (Federal Court of Appeals-DC Circuit, 1965)
Lando Calrissian is the Baron Administrator of Cloud City, on Bespin. In an attempt to stave off an invasion by the Empire, Lando makes a deal with Darth Vader, trading the rebel Han Solo and his companions for the continued survival and independence of the people he represents. However, Darth Vader uses high pressure tactics, like blackmail and threats of violence to induce a deal where he holds more bargaining power, and effectively removes any meaningful choice Lando might have had in negotiating the terms or in accepting the bargain. Additionally, Vader continually adds to and modifies the terms of the deal, allowing him to unfairly advantage until the deal is so one-sided that Lando no longer gains anything from the bargain. When Vader brings suit against Lando for breaking the deal and helping Han and Leia escape, the council will find that the deal is unconscionable, both procedurally (in the formation of the deal) and substantively (in the terms of the deal) and will refuse to enforce it as a matter of law.
Labels:
Bespin,
Cloud City,
Contracts,
Darth Vader,
Lando Calrissian,
Unconscionability
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