Summary

NAME: US TROUSERS 20070613I TAPE: EF07/0702 IN_TIME: 10:11:32:10 DURATION: 00:02:02:01 SOURCES: AP TELEVISION/ABC DATELINE: Washington, DC, 12 June 2007; file RESTRICTIONS: see script SHOTLIST: AP Television ++Mandatory Courtesy: Sketches by Dana Verkouteren++ 1 Sketch showing Roy Pearson, administrative law judge, showing jacket to judge, with defendants, Jin and Soo Chung in background 2 Sketch showing Judge Judith Bartnoff 3 Various sketches of defendants Jin and Soo Chung and Chris Manning, their lawyer ABC - No Access North America / Internet 4 The Chungs and Manning walking out of courthouse 5 Wide of Chunds and Manning 6 SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Manning, lawyer for Jin and Soo Chung: I think what we've seen today is the case really lacks all merit It's a case about an unhappy customer at a dry cleaners and an unhappy customer at a dry cleaners that should have just used the free market system and gone down the street to another dry cleaners, not harassed my clients and filed such a ridiculous lawsuit AP Television ++Mandatory Courtesy: Sketches by Dana Verkouteren++ 7 Various of sketch of Roy Pearson showing jacket to judge ABC - No Access North America / Internet 8 SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Manning, lawyer for Jin and Soo Chung: It's difficult for the Chungs It's a very trying experience obviously, they would much rather be in the dry cleaners serving their customers, but they are getting through it They know that the case is going well and they're hopeful that tomorrow all of this will be behind them 8 Close-up and zoom out of tag on trousers the Chungs allege Pearson dropped off at cleaners 9 SOUNDBITE: (English) Chris Manning, lawyer for Jin and Soo Chung: Well, I think we all know who's suffered in this case and the individuals who've suffered in this case are the Chungs, not Mr Pearson It was certainly an interesting day that wasn't an exception, and without a doubt the Chungs are the victims here not Mr Pearson 10 Various of Pearson leaving the courthouse STORYLINE: A US judge is suing a Washington dry cleaner for 54 (m) million US dollars over his lost trousers Administrative law judge Roy Pearson broke down and wept in the courtroom on Tuesday as he recalled the trousers that led to his lawsuit He said he was acting in the interest of all the city's residents against what he says are poor business practices Chris Manning, lawyer for Jin and Soo Chung, said the case really lacks all merit It's a case about an unhappy customer at a dry cleaners and an unhappy customer at a dry cleaners that should have just used the free market system and gone down the street to another dry cleaners, not harassed my clients and filed such a ridiculous lawsuit, he added Pearson first sued Custom Cleaners over a pair of trousers that went missing two years ago He was originally seeking about 67 (m) million US dollars but reduced the amount last week The original demand was based on his strict interpretation of the city's consumer protection law, which imposes fines of 1500 US dollars per violation According to court documents, Pearson's problems with the cleaners began in May 2005 when he brought in several suits for alterations A pair of trousers from one suit was allegedly missing when he requested it two days later He said Soo Chung tried to give him a pair of charcoal gray trousers As Pearson explained that these were not the trousers for the suit, he choked up and left the courtroom in tears Pearson originally asked the cleaners for 1,000 US dollars, the full price of the suit But because the Chungs insisted the trousers had been found, they refused to pay Pearson said they were not his trousers, and decided to sue Manning has said the cleaners made three settlement offers to Pearson, but the judge was not satisfied and increased his demands, including asking for money to rent a car so that he could drive to another business Pearson is no longer seeking damages related to the lost trousers and is now focusing his claims on two signs in the shop that have since been removed One claimed Satisfaction Guaranteed,'' the other Same Day Service''