Odds & Ends in the Legal World (Mostly Odd)

by William R. Newman, J. D., President of Barristers CLE

Susan Warren of Elyira, Ohio has earned the title of "The Cleaning Fairy" after she was arrested last month for breaking into a Westlake home where she proceeded to wash the dishes, vacuum the playroom, and take out the trash.  She had picked the house at random and had no idea who lived there.  Once finished with the chores, she left her name and number on the kitchen table with a bill for $75.

When the shocked owners returned home and discovered a tidier house than they had left, they phoned police who called the number left by Ms. Warren.  She became irate when the cop began questioning her.  "I do this all the time!" she screamed, before hanging up on the officer.  After her arrest, she explained that she was desperate for money.

The arrest, however, puts the Westlake prosecutors in a bit of a pickle.  As most of our readers will recall from law school, the crime of burglary generally requires that the defendant break into a dwelling with the intent to commit a felony therein (like theft).  Cleaning, per se, is not a crime, and that's all Ms. Warren did after breaking into the house.  Thus, it appears the most serious charge is criminal trespass, which carries only a 30-day jail sentence in Ohio.

For more news on recent case law -- serious and silly -- check out the upcoming Recent Developments CLE courses and webcasts being offered by Barristers this summer (in Little Rock on June 29th and in seven different cities throughout Mississippi in July).  Visit www.BarristersCLE.com for all the details.

Odds & Ends in the Legal World (Mostly Odd) will become a regular feature on the Barristers blog.  It will alternate with other blog regulars:  New Law Briefing, Tech Tips for Lawyers, and Thoughts on Balancing Law & Life.  Thanks for being a loyal customer of Barristers Educational Services.