Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Fact or Fiction? Test Your Legal Knowledge

In Bain v. Gillespie, 357 N.W.2d 47 (Iowa App. 1984), Jim Bain, a Big Ten Conference basketball referee, made a controversial call late in the Big Ten Conference basketball championship game between the University of Iowa and Purdue University that allowed a Purdue player to make a free throw that gave Purdue a last-minute victory. Some fans of the University of Iowa team blamed Bain for their team’s loss, claiming that the foul was clearly in error. John and Karen Gillespie operated a novelty store in Iowa City specializing in University of Iowa sporting goods and souvenirs. The store was known as Hawkeye John’s Trading Post and had no association with the University of Iowa or its sports program.

A few days after the controversial game, the Gillespie’s sold t-shirts showing a man with a rope around his neck with the caption, “Jim Bain Fan Club.” Bain filed suit against the Gillespies for monetary damages as well as for a court order prohibiting the Gillespie’s from selling t-shirts with Bain’s likeness. The Gillespies countersued, alleging that Bain’s conduct in officiating the game was below the standard of competence required of a professional referee.

The Gillespie's were successful in their countersuit and Bain was found to have committed referee malpractice.

TRUE OR FALSE?

The answer is FALSE.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It has to be false or I'll eat my underwear.

Anonymous said...

It's definitely false

Anonymous said...

I think that it is true

Anonymous said...

That case happened to my cousin's sister's brother down in San Diego.

Anonymous said...

Hoss forgot his password, but still says this is a trick question because, as everyone knows, Iowa sucks.