Spooky narratives are often reserved for the entertainment sector, but as it turns out, legal professionals can find value in them too. The CBS show Ghosts, which follows city dwellers Sam (a journalist) and Jay (a chef) who unknowingly inherit a haunted country estate, provides an unorthodox case study in tortious interference from the spirit realm.
In the show, Sam and Jay dream of opening a bed and breakfast (B&B) in their newly-acquired property. However, they soon discover that the estate is inhabited by the spirits of those who met their end on its grounds. Notably, the spectral residents are less than welcoming, casting a pall over the couple’s entrepreneurial ambitions.
While Ghosts is undoubtedly a comedy, it presents an intriguing scenario for those in the legal field to consider: what legal recourse, if any, does a living person have against a disruption caused by entities from the spirit realm? If the disruptive elements were amenable to the proceedings of a court, could this be a case of tortious inference with business?
Many attorneys may snort at this humorous bending of legal principles, but narratives like these pose implicit questions about the applicability and flexibility of the law. How far can its arm reach, and what realms – physical and metaphysical – does it preside over?
Although the subject matter here tips towards the speculative end of the scale, explorations like these are anything but frivolous. In a rapidly evolving world where technological advancements continually quest our conventional understanding of quotidian experiences and phenomena, considering anomalous situations can serve as intellectual exercise for legal professionals.
Read more about this peculiary in EntertainHR: Tortious Interference from the Spirit Realm, an article by FordHarrison.