American society is *way* too litigious; the lawyering industry has proven spectacularly successful at convincing people that lawsuit lotto is  the way to deal with every problem, real or perceived. Still, every now and then there’s a lawsuit that *needs* to happen.

For example:

Liberty County sued for ‘mass grave’ investigation

Short form:

A year ago, a “psychic” called the police outside Houston, Texas, claiming that a ranch was the scene of a mass murder, with body parts everywhere. As a result, the police, the Texas Rangers and the FBI all invaded the place; worse, the news media crawled all over. Of course, there was no such mass murder; the psychic was simply displaying the spectacular record of success that psychics have always demonstrated. The victims of the psychic suffered some physical damage to their property, a whole lot of irritation, and their local reputation has suffered.

So, after a year, the owners of the property are suing not only the Liberty County Sheriffs office, but also KPRC, Belo Corp, The New York Times, CNN America, Thompson Reuters and ABC News for publishing false information, including the claim that bodies were actually found. Someone who seems to not be getting sued, sadly, is the psychic him/herself.

To me this seems like a valid – if incomplete – lawsuit. Yes, claims of mass murders should be investigated. But claims that come from psychics should be treated the same as a claim of alien abduction. Any law enforcement officer who takes psychics seriously, given the complete lack of success they have demonstrated, needs to be psychologically evaluated and quite possibly sent out to pasture. (“Say, Officer Bob, did your psychic tell you THAT was coming?”) Psychics and their bullcrap are about as good for the justice system as “recovered memories” are.

And the press getting sued? Awesome. It would be entertaining as all get-out if the likes of CNN and the New York Times got sued *so* hard that they would actually come out in favor of tort reform.