Crowded Courts

The American Bar Association is in the midst of its annual meeting, where ethical standards and other matters will be discussed. One issue not on the agenda: a shortage of work. Some recent highlights of Our Litigious Society:

THE HAZARDS OF POP-TARTS A New Jersey couple whose home caught fire after a Pop-Tart was left unattended in the toaster is suing Kellogg and Black & Decker for damages.

NOT EVERYONE IS A STAR WARS FAN A Panama City, Fla., waitress, Jodee Berry, is suing her employer, Hooters. After winning a contest that offered a Toyota for a prize, she says, she was blindfolded and presented with...a toy Yoda.

A BRUSH WITH THE LAW A young woman from Greensburg, Pa., brushed her teeth for two weeks with Crest Baking Soda toothpaste. She claims it misaligned and scarred her teeth, and she's suing both Procter & Gamble, the manufacturer, and Wal-Mart, the store that sold it to her.