Strange Lawsuit #1
Recently in Dusseldorf, Germany, a former tenant sued his landlord for a full refund of his security deposit, which had been partially withheld because the marble floor of the apartment’s bathroom had been damaged by uric acid, presumably from the errant urine of an upright person relieving himself.
There has been a long-running debate in Germany over whether men should be encouraged to sit down when urinating. Stehpinklers (men who stand up to pee) have been pitted against Sitzpinklers (men who sit down). German supermarkets have sold millions of devices that attach to toilets and scold Stehpinklers when they lift the seat.
While some men have accommodate this demand, others have vehemently resisted. So vehement was the resistance that academic Klaus Schwerma, a proponent of Sitzpinkeln, wrote an entire critical book entitled Stehpinkeln—Die Letzte Bastion der Maennlichkeit? (Peeing Standing Up—the Last Bastion of Masculinity?).
In above case, a judge ruled in favor of the former tenant, stating that “Anyone who still practices this formerly dominant custom has to expect occasional clashes with their flatmates, particularly female ones. But they don’t have to worry about damage to the marble floor.”
I was surprised by that ruling. I thought that the man, of course, could urinate using any method he wanted but that he should be responsible for any damage resulting from it.
Although I can’t help you with a Stehpinkler/Sitzpinkler case, if you have a family law or probate case, call my office at 682-234-2006 to schedule your free consultation.
(above photo by yasmapaz & ace_heart/Flickr)