Laying Down the Law with Billy DeClercq, Esq.

Jeff Feightner joins Billy for a break from the every day to discuss random bits of everything and, to test some VOIP services.

Billy, Doug, and Lauren jump into the tort case Harper v. Herman, where a boat captain was found to owe no duty to warn a young passenger who was injured by diving in shallow waters. The three then venture on an improv voyage starting at the dock of Lake Winnatonka, through the Coroner’s office, to a roadhouse that serves paint chips, visit an Italian restaurant, then a rival roadhouse featuring mindfulness training, culminating in a tire fire, before sailing into the sunset. Then we lay down the pretense and learn Doug and Lauren's childhood nicknames, imagined other careers, and deepest insights.

Billy and his son Spencer explore the law of defamation and video games, comedy, Sergio Leone films, college meal plans and SO MUCH MORE! Dedicated to "Pop" through a multi-generational matrix, we learn that that Spencer is decidedly funnier than his old dad. After Spencer slaps Billy around for bad jokes, Billy explains recent anti-SLAPP litigation involving defamation over who really holds the the world record in Donkey Kong. Finally Spencer takes over the wheel and shows us how podcasting is done.

Cathy Eller and Will Hines join Billy to discuss Byrne v Boadle, and how res ipsa loquitor works for YOU!

From the case stems an improvisational romp through time to explore the rise of BIG BARREL.

Finally, Billy lays down the pretense and explores what makes his guests who they are.

Griffin Taylor and Jay Singh join Billy to discuss TWO slip-and-fall cases. One (Negri v. Stop & Shop) involved baby food; the other (Gordon v Museum of Natural History) involved airborne hot dog wrappers. The crew learns what "constructive notice" is and when it doesn't apply. A whirlwind of comedic improv around the world follows. Then we find out some deeper truths about Griffin and Jay and their longstanding friendship.

*This episode is sponsored by Steve "Esteban" Gorman.

Featuring a promo for RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE. A podcast by Shannon Hull.

Find it wherever you get your podcasts.

In this radio play for the 21st Century, a reincarnated old soul, George Bailey, makes his way through life without the internet. But G-d has other plans. Guardian angel Clarence returns to earth 75 years after his first visit so he can renew his wings, in the hopes of convincing George Bailey to join the Internet. Hilarity ensues in a satirical re-imagining of the holiday classic.

Written by Dan Dore, performed by Mondays at 7 (in order of appearance) feat. Jay Singh, Dan Dore, Griffin C. Taylor, Billy DeClercq, Cathy Eller, Toni Senatore, and Kristen Lucas, with narration by Jeffrey Feightner

Billy, Curtis and Cathy read Tedla v. Ellman (New York, 1939) in which junk collectors got hit by a car while pushing a baby carriage full of junk on the wrong side of Sunrise highway. The court found they were not contributorily negligent. The improvisors find out what happens when someone is on the wrong side of the law, the wrong side of the road, or visits the Museum of Torts. Curtis re-boots IMPROV: BEAT BY BEAT for a few minutes to break down the improv that was just performed, and then they dig into the deep questions to find out more about Cathy and Curtis.

*Episode Sponsor: Larry's Discount Celebrity Endorsement Warehouse

Billy and guest Sean McCallon (aka Yakov Spierblatt) discuss Martin v Herzog, a 1920 New York case where Defendant’s automobile crashed into Plaintiff’s buggy, at night, when it was dark. Because Plaintiff was operating his buggy without any lights, in violation of a statute, he was found contributorily negligent, so the plaintiff got bupkis. Then Billy and Sean improvise what happens if there were dash-cams on buggies in the 1920's in a musical improv performance, "Ad-Libretto" They learn what it means to become "brothers in arms." Finally, we learn more about Sean and his journey as an artist.

Billy and guests (Dan D---, Anna Yosin, Gabi Mayorga, Cathy Eller, & Toni Senatore) break down the 1927 US Supreme Court case B&O Railroad v. Goodman where a driver didn’t slow down enough when he was “twelve feet from danger” at a railroad crossing. The gang morphs into a rock band that plays air instruments, including an air cowbell, but was it all a dream, and why is a nurse in Dad’s will? Then we get real and find out about each of our guests’ hopes and dreams, and what we’re grateful for.

Follow our guests:

- Anna Yosin: (Twitter/Insta) @annayosin

- Cathy Eller (Twitter/Insta) @squirrel_convo

- Toni Senatore (Twitter/Insta) @tonisenatore

- Dan “Don’t Mention My Last Name” Dore (Twitter) @BuffaloDan01

Billy reads and explains the classic case of Adams v Bullock, 125 N.E. 93 (1919), from Court of Appeals of New York, where a boy was injured by swinging a metal wire into electrical trolley wires. We learn that, because the trolley company had taken reasonable precautions to avoid foreseeable dangers, and nobody could have predicted the injury, it did not owe a duty of care to protect the boy from injury, and it could not be held liable.