Dr. Seuss Law School


It was suggested in Admin Law the other day that Dr. Seuss' book The Lorax (Random House, 1971), anticipates the frustration expressed by Justice Douglas' dissent in Sierra Club v. Morton (U.S. 1972) (trees don't have standing to protect themselves from development).

That got me to thinking how many other Dr. Seuss books likewise illustrate law course principles. Here's a few (can you think of others?)

Thidwick, the Big Hearted Moose -- Poverty Law: the principle of Conditional Reciprocity
The King's Stilts -- Professional Responsibility: Rules 5.2 (responsibility of subordinate) and 8.4 (misconduct)
Horton Hatches the Egg -- Family Law: Best Interests of Children standard
Horton Hears a Who -- Professional Responsibility: Rule 1.3 (diligence)
I Can Lick Thirty Tigers Today -- Professional Responsibility: Rule 1.1 (competence)
The Alphabet Book -- Torts: Product Liability (remember? Big S, little s, Silly Sammy Slick sipped six sodas and got sick, sick, sick.)
The Cat in the Hat -- Torts: Trespass
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas -- Criminal Law: Rehabilitation
The Sleep Book -- Evidence: Hearsay

Comments

Stephen said…
Ah, but the Forest Service speaks for the trees. Justice Douglas missed the entire concept of capture and what to do about it that underlies that opinion.

Which is why it is so flawed. The real question should have been not whether trees have standing (they do, they even have an official spokesman), but what do you do when you suspect the spokesperson of capture (kind of like kids, parents and ad litems in minor prove-ups).
24 April, 2007 11:16
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