On outrageous lawsuits

Jailhouse lawyers have an ample amount of time to devote to their causes. Occasionally, prison inmates successfully raise important legal issues that result in new trials or even revoked sentences. But, for the most part, lawsuits filed from prison cells do little more than tie up the legal system and create work and expense for entities and individuals who have done nothing wrong.

That was the case recently when an inmate at the Jefferson City Correctional Center sued the city of Cape Girardeau claiming his rights were violated by city police. The city and the police department staunchly deny the allegations. In the end, however, it was far less expensive â€" both in time and resources â€" to settle the case by giving the inmate $1,000 than it would have been to go to court.

That happens in the business world too. Plaintiffs bring outrageous lawsuits in hopes that a forthcoming settlement will fatten their pocketbooks.

In other areas of litigation, there is a process that claims must go through before a lawsuit can be filed. Many of these would-be suits are handled administratively without involving huge legal expenses. Wouldn’t it make sense to have a similar system for lawsuits filed by jailhouse lawyers? Any set of facts that appears to have a legal leg to stand on could go forward to a full-blown lawsuit. The rest would go to the paper recycling bin.

â€" Southeast Missourian