Weird Universe alerts us to the curious case of Gerald Mayo, who in 1971 filed a class action lawsuit in the Western District of Pennsylvania against Satan “and his staff.”
According to the suit, “Satan has on numerous occasions caused plaintiff misery and unwarranted threats, against the will of plaintiff, that Satan has placed deliberate obstacles in his path and has caused plaintiff’s downfall” and “deprived him of his constitutional rights.”
The court rejected the suit for several reasons including the fact that “the plaintiff has failed to include with his complaint the required form of instructions for the United States Marshal for directions as to service of process.” Basically, how in hell could the court get in touch with Satan to let him know he’s being sued? And even if they could, it’s not clear that he’s bound by U.S. law.
“Even if plaintiff’s complaint reveals a prima facie recital of the infringement of the civil rights of a citizen of the United States, the Court has serious doubts that the complaint reveals a cause of action upon which relief can be granted by the court,” the court ruled.
“United States ex rel. Gerald Mayo v. Satan and His Staff”
More here: “A Weekly Guide to Being a Model Law Student” (Google Books)