Legal word of the Day: Mayhem

Mayhem ['mae-'hem] (n)

willful and permanent crippling, mutilation, or disfigurement of any part of another's body; also, the crime of engaging in mayhem

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996

This term falls under the fun category of words which have a specific technical meaning but are applied metaphorically in common usage. These are the words that mess with someone's head if they get used to the technical usage and then hear people throw them around where they don't really apply, e.g.,
"The rowdy youths did all kinds of mayhem."
"But I thought you said they only spray painted some mailboxes and broke a few windows."

It was only a matter of time

The L.A. Times reports that the first health insurance companies to begin trimming back their offerings after the reform bill are now doing so. [Article here.] It should probably come as no surprise that when you take away someone's incentive to provide a service, they cease to provide it.

I found particularly funny the (in his mind) rhetorical question posed by the reform pundit in the article: "Insurers need to decide if they are in the business of providing care or denying coverage." Actually, neither. They are not in the business of providing care, but risk management. Requiring them to do something else sounds like an invitation for them to go on strike to me.

Legal word of the day: Champerty

Champerty (n.) ['cham-per-te]; Champertous (adj.) ['cham-per-tes]

An unenforceable agreement to fund litigation for another in exchange for a portion of the proceeds of the suit.