Case of the Day - Why Lit majors should go to Law School

With nearly as much trepidation as Frodo must have felt when he embarked on his journey to Morodor, n1 this federal court begins its ascension up a similarly foreboding, albeit "legal," summit arising out of a land dispute between the United States and its Agency, the United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency (hereinafter "FSA") and the defendants, Mark A. and Zelene M. Schilling (hereinafter "the Schillings"). Much like the power of the Ring carried by Frodo, which caused all who touched it to desire to possess it, both parties in this land dispute claim an ownership interest in a certain section of farm property. The court cannot retreat from parsing out the interests involved, as did Frodo, who solved the dilemma created by the Ring by throwing it into the fiery depths of the Cracks of Doom from which it was created and destroying it. Accordingly, the court will proceed to determine whether the FSA is entitled to summary judgment in this matter, over the defendants' zealous objections.

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n1 This reference comes from J.R.R Tolkien's three-part epic story, The Lord of the Rings. See generally Tolkien, J.R.R., The Lord of the Rings (HarperCollinsPublishers 2004) (1954). The book is based on the legend of the Rings of Power. Id. According to the story, in ancient times, the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all the others. Id. But the One Ring was taken from him and remained lost for many years. Id. After much time, the One Ring fell, by chance, into the hands of an adventurous hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. Id. When Bilbo reached his eleventy-first birthday, he disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin, Frodo Baggins, the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest: to journey deep into the shadow of Sauron and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom. Id. The power of the One Ring was so great, however, that anyone who touched it desired to possess it, although hobbits, such as Frodo and Bilbo, were somewhat more resilient to its awesome power. Id.
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United States v. Schilling, No. C05-3016, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 60902 at *2 (N.D. Iowa, August 25, 2006)