VerdictPlay today’sVerdict No. 1 · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
The five rulings
What the courts decided.
The 1919 World Series
1Black Sox trialChicago jury, 1921
2Black Sox trial (1921): The jury acquitted the players. Baseball's new commissioner, Judge Landis, banned all eight for life anyway.
The twenty-minute sale
1Smith v. Van GorkomDelaware Supreme Court, 1985
2Smith v. Van Gorkom (1985): The court held the directors breached their duty of care because they failed to inform themselves.
Spying from the sky
1Bernstein of Leigh v Skyviews & General LtdEnglish High Court, 1978
2Bernstein of Leigh v Skyviews (1978): The court held landowners own airspace only up to the height needed for ordinary use of the land, so there was no trespass.
Not found in nature
1Revenue and Customs Commissioners v Procter & Gamble UKCourt of Appeal of England, 2009
2HMRC v Procter & Gamble (2009): The Court of Appeal reversed a High Court win for the company and held Pringles are 'similar products' made from potato, so tax applied. It told tribunals to use ordinary common sense, not dissect the recipe.
The flying barrel
1Byrne v BoadleEnglish Court of Exchequer, 1863
2Byrne v Boadle (1863): The court held that barrels don't fall from windows without negligence, starting the 'res ipsa loquitur' rule, meaning the thing speaks for itself.
Five new cases every day at midnight.
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