January 9, 2015 2:43PM 

# Highlights from *Overlawyered*—2014 

By [Walter Olson](https://www.cato.org/people/walter-olson) 

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At my Cato blog [Overlawyered](http://overlawyered.com/) I’ve been pulling together month-by-month highlights of stories from last year. I’m currently up to October in [the series](http://overlawyered.com/tag/best-of/). Here’s a small sampling of my favorites:

- “EEOC to Court: Never mind whether [we use background checks too](http://overlawyered.com/2014/10/eeocs-background-checks/).”
- Forfeiture: “Iowa Troopers Steal $100,000 in Poker Winnings [from Two Players Driving Through](http://overlawyered.com/2014/10/washington-post-forfeiture/).”
- “California Destroys Winery [For Use of Volunteers](http://overlawyered.com/2014/09/thoughts-westover-winery-case/).”
- Before you file a claim of amputation of all four of your limbs, be aware that [such a claim is checkable](http://overlawyered.com/2014/09/insurance-fraud-tip/).
- Salt Lake City [slaps $6,500 tickets](http://overlawyered.com/2014/08/6500-ticket/) on ridesharing drivers.
- Warning sign: “This Sign that Warned You [Will be ‘Exhibit 1.’ ](http://overlawyered.com/2014/08/warning-sign/)”
- In California, you can be fined for using water during drought, but also fined [for not watering your lawn](http://overlawyered.com/2014/07/green-lawns-brown-lawns-california/).
- Texas ruling: “Firefighter’s Fear Of Burning Buildings Does Not [Qualify As A Disability](http://overlawyered.com/2014/06/firefighters-fear-burning-buildings-qualify-disability/).”
- *New York Times* columnist Tim Egan takes a swing at Wal-Mart, and refreshingly, [Wal-Mart swings back](http://overlawyered.com/2014/06/wish-companies-attacked/).
- “Weapons Policy Bans Fencing Group [from Practicing on Campus](http://overlawyered.com/2014/05/weapons-policy-bans-fencing-group-practicing-campus/)”; carry work tools, get arrested: New York’s [crazy “gravity-knife” law](http://overlawyered.com/2014/10/carry-work-tools-get-arrested-nyc/).
- “Of course they handcuffed her. You can’t be too careful [with a nine year old](http://overlawyered.com/2014/05/course-handcuffed/).”
- More of this please: “Minnesota ‘unsession’ [dumps 1,175 obsolete, silly laws](http://overlawyered.com/2014/05/minnesota-unsession-dumps-1175-obsolete-silly-laws/).”
- “This guarantee does not cover shark bite, bear attack or [damage by children under five](http://overlawyered.com/2014/04/computer-case/).”
- Mardi Gras time: “Caution! Non-edible baby [inside this cake](http://overlawyered.com/2014/03/caution-non-edible-baby-inside-cake/).”
- “Colorado Man Could Sue Divers Who [Saved Him From Submerged Car](http://overlawyered.com/2014/03/colorado-man-sue-divers-saved-submerged-car/).”
- Ohio school suspends 10-year-old for displaying a “level 2 look alike firearm,” [namely his finger](http://overlawyered.com/2014/03/firearm-school-class/);
- “Family sues Bronx Zoo [after child swallows souvenir penny](http://overlawyered.com/2014/02/family-sues-bronx-zoo-child-swallows-souvenir-penny/).”
- Who killed traditional Edison light bulbs? “Government did it, at the [request of big business](http://overlawyered.com/2014/01/industry-environmentalists-killed-traditional-bulbs/).”
- “Taxpayer Scores $862,000 from IRS [after Tripping over a Phone Cord](http://overlawyered.com/2014/01/irs-trip-phone-cord/).”

Read the whole series [here](http://overlawyered.com/tag/best-of/).

##### Related Tags 

[Constitutional Law](https://www.cato.org/constitutional-law), [Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies](https://www.cato.org/robert-levy-center-constitutional-studies) 

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