Dealing with a family medical matter left me little time yesterday to worry about today’s blog post. Usually I have a chance over the course of the day to browse around, select something interesting that’s worth picking apart, and having at least a few thoughts when the cats start the 5 a.m. wakeup call. Today, not so much.

So I did what one does under such circumstances–check some of the regular traps.

Today I decided to check out Honolulu’s federal district court. From a distance, of course, looking through various indexes and documents available online. You never know what you’ll find.

First, from Justicia.com, I was able to check cases recently filed in Honolulu’s U.S. District Court. There are the usual fair credit cases, various criminal proceedings, civil rights claims, etc.

And then there’s Reece v. LeSportsac, Inc. et al, a lawsuit claiming that LeSportsac has violated the copyright of several photos by Kim Taylor Reece in a line of bags and related advertising. Reece’s copyright has been assigned to Kanoe Reece, who brought this claim. The photo here is one of several showing Reece’s image, on the right, and the image used by LeSportsac, on the left.

According to the complaint: “The infringing images are at least substantially similar to the original photographs and in fact are virtually identical to the originals.”

Further, the suit alleges the violation “is egregious and willful,” because the company kept displaying the images after being notified of the copyright issue.

Also named in the suit are Brand Science LLC, and Waikiki Trader Corp., which operates the LeSportsac stores in Hawaii.

Then there was a judgement for $7,528,872.57 against the United States government as a result of a sad case of medical negligence and malpractice at Tripler Army Medical Center. According to documents in the case, a Samoan woman treated by Tripler in 1997 later lost kidney function and will require lifelong dialysis as a result of errors in treatment.

According to the plaintiff’s pre-trial statement:

Defendant’s sole expert…was deposed Friday, August 13,2010 and essentially conceded liability and causation, and further admitted he could not substantiate any comparative negligence on Mrs. Mamea’s part nor confirm to the required legal standard any contributing cause of her end state renal disease.

He admitted that Tripler’s care of Mrs. Mamea violated numerous standards of care, that had she been properly evaluated and treated her condition was reversible at the time Tripler treated her and that by the time she returned to medical treatment in 2003, it was likely too late to save her kidneys. It appears clear that the only remaining issue to be decided is the amount of damages required to make the Mameas whole.

After trial, the court awarded $1,250,000 in general damages, $1,040,271.40 for medical expenses incurred at Kaiser and another $318,262.17 paid to another provider, lost wages of $339,493, life care costs of $4,313,771, and additional future expenses of $117,174. In addition, her husband was awarded $150,000 for “loss of consortium.”

Very sad.

Then this caught my eye: USA v. One (1) mother of pearl and black coral (Antpatharia) pendant.

This case involves the seizure (and eventual forfeiture) of a mother of pearl and black coral pendant by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after it was mailed to Hawaii from Palau in violation of the Endangered Species Act and related international agreements. Black coral has been banned for export and import without a permit under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora since 1981, according to the complaint filed in court.

And then another: USA v. Two Hundred Forty-Five Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty-Three Dollars ($245,853.00) in United States Currency.

Most of the money was seized in the search of a home on Halakau Street in Aina Haina back in 2008 after a resident of the home was stopped at Honolulu International Airport, apparently on suspected drug charges.

It must have been an interesting scene.

$3,771 was found in the first floor den.

$575 was seized from the resident, who had been stopped at the airport.

$70,340 was found “outside in the back yard.”

$167 was found in the master bathroom.

$545 was seized from a fanny pack in the kitchen.

$32,000 was seized “from a black coat located in the closet.”

$728 was seized from the closet shelf.

$132,970 was seized from the trophy room.

$1,610 was found in the garage.

In addition, the search turned of 2,833 grams of marijuana, along with a scale, “9 boxes of oven bags, dryer sheets,” a money counter and heat sealer. And, no surprise, there was “a strong odor of marijuana” noticed by agents in the suspect’s black Mercedes.

There were also several cases in the last week or so involving the seizure of mailed packages. It appears that a lot of drugs are being delivered to Hawaii and seized along the way. Worthy of a follow-up?

Parcel
Multicolored cardboard parcel weighing 7.0 pounds. Package further identified by a red-inked arabic numeral 9979 which is 1.25 inches in length and signed on a red-inked line below such number by Jonathan Saito

Defendant (1)
Parcel
In the Matter of the Search of Multicolored cardboard parcel weighing 6.9 pounds. Package further identified by a red-inked arabic numeral 9985 which is 1.25 inches in length and signed on a red-inked line below such number by Jonathan Saito.

Defendant (1)
Parcel
In the Matter of the Search of Multicolored cardboard parcel weighing 3.85 pounds. Package further identified by a red-inked arabic numeral 9990 which is 1.25 inches in length and signed on a red-inked line below such number by Edna Tanaid.

Defendant (1)
Parcel
Multicolored cardboard parcel weighing 11.90 pounds. Package further Identified by a red-inked arabic numeral 9992 which is 1.25 inches in length and signed on a red-inked line below such number by Edna Tanaid.

Defendant (1)
Parcel
Multicolored cardboard parcel weighing 4.4 pounds. Package further Identified by a red-inked arabic numeral 9994 which is 1.25 inches in length and signed on a red-inked line below such number by Jonathan Saito.

Just another week in the halls of justice, I guess.