Kansas man asks judge to let him engage in sword fight with ex-wife, lawyer

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**Frazzled**

Well we've not had recent additions from Florida Man so...

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/478243-kansas-man-asks-judge-to-let-him-engage-in-sword-fight-with-ex

A Kansas man asked a judge in Iowa if he could initiate a sword fight with his ex-wife and her attorney, saying he wanted to meet them "on the field of battle."

David Ostrom, 40, claims in court documents that his ex-wife, Bridgette Ostrom, 38, "destroyed (him) legally" and made the case for "trial by combat," The Des Moines Register reported.

The man asked the Iowa District Court to give him 12 weeks of "lead time" to source or forge Japanese katana and wakizashi swords in preparation for the desired combat.
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"To this day, trial by combat has never been explicitly banned or restricted as a right in these United States," Ostrom argued in court records obtained by the Register, adding that it was used "as recently as 1818 in British Court."

Ostrom told the newspaper that his decision to petition for a sword duel stemmed from frustration with his ex-wife’s lawyer, Matthew Hudson.

Hudson asked the court to suspend Ostrom's visitation rights and order him to undergo a court-ordered psychological evaluation.

"I think I've met Mr. Hudson's absurdity with my own absurdity," Ostrom told the Register.

The court has yet to rule on his motion or a motion from Hudson resisting a trial by combat.

Ostrom told the newspaper he is serious about the dueling offer.

"If Mr. Hudson is willing to do it, I will meet him,” he said. "I don't think he has the guts to do it."

Judge Craig Dreismeier said in his own filing this week he will not issue a decision in the matter anytime soon, The Associated Press reported. The judge cited irregularities in filings from both parties.

**Not Online!!!**

I do hope they let him use a katzbalger

**Grimskul**

Someone has been watching Game of Thrones a little too much methinks. Hilarious nonetheless, thanks for sharing the great find!

To be honest, if more government offices were done with this method I think there would be a higher voter turnout in most elections.

**Excommunicatus**

Pfft. Amateur.

Everyone knows that the way to legal victory in the States is to rant and rave about the fringe on the flag.

**Ouze**

It's all fun and games until you run into P. Barnes.

**Argive**

**Lawyer agrees.
**Lawyer hires master assasin "champion"

Good luck...

**Vulcan**

Or the lawyer hits up the local SCA/HEMA chapter for someone with a suit of plate armor and experience fighting in it.

**Argive**

My moneys on a trained killer with a hidden ice pick/shiv/dagger

**Bran Dawri**

Challenging the lawyer to a duel is certainly going to be a point in his favour when the case about the psych eval comes up...

**cuda1179**

The real question is, should killing a lawyer even be a crime? LOL

Seriously though, some lawyers are utter scum, and many of them cluster around divorces/child custody battles. I wouldn't be surprised if this was an example of that.

**Captain Joystick**

I sincerely doubt that's the case in this instance. If the man is going to ask the judge for permission to kill his ex and her lawyer with a sword I think her argument that the kids aren't safe with him has merit.

I could have sworn I saw someone mention this in an 'ask lawyers of reddit' video...

**cuda1179**

Captain Joystick wrote:
I sincerely doubt that's the case in this instance. If the man is going to ask the judge for permission to kill his ex and her lawyer with a sword I think her argument that the kids aren't safe with him has merit.

I could have sworn I saw someone mention this in an 'ask lawyers of reddit' video...

Well, that would depend on if what he is asking for is actually legal, or if it's being taken as a serious challenge. I know that there is precedence for certain acts not being held against a person if they are state sponsored. For example, professional executioners, those lucky few people that are legally allowed to sample narcotics, fatal hit-and-runs if you are a politician in route to a session of congress, etc.

Also, I just found out the wife is from the next town over from me. LOL, small world.

**Kap'n Krump**

I'm hoping that the ex wife could somehow hire the actor who played the mountain on GoT to fight in her stead. That would be hilarious.

**LunarSol**

cuda1179 wrote:

Also, I just found out the wife is from the next town over from me. LOL, small world.

Or at least a small state...

**cuda1179**

LunarSol wrote:
cuda1179 wrote:

Also, I just found out the wife is from the next town over from me. LOL, small world.

Or at least a small state...

We're actually a pretty average sized state, slightly larger than New York and the rest of the East Coasters.

**Nevelon**

IIRC they ask you when you are sworn in to the Kentucky Bar if you have ever fought a duel, and you can’t be admitted if you have. Might just be a state thing (and I could be wrong) but some lawyers are forbidden from dueling.

**tneva82**

Well. Gave good evidence why he should be banned from seeing kids ever after

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Coming soon.....

Kansas Man ponces around with Katana, hamstrings own case.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Nevelon wrote:
IIRC they ask you when you are sworn in to the Kentucky Bar if you have ever fought a duel, and you can’t be admitted if you have. Might just be a state thing (and I could be wrong) but some lawyers are forbidden from dueling.

Does Yu-GI-Oh count?

**Excommunicatus**

cuda1179 wrote:The real question is, should killing a lawyer even be a crime? LOL

Seriously though, some lawyers are utter scum, and many of them cluster around divorces/child custody battles. I wouldn't be surprised if this was an example of that.

Breaking: Family Law Practitioners Practise Family Law.

More at ten.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

cuda1179 wrote:
Captain Joystick wrote:
I sincerely doubt that's the case in this instance. If the man is going to ask the judge for permission to kill his ex and her lawyer with a sword I think her argument that the kids aren't safe with him has merit.

I could have sworn I saw someone mention this in an 'ask lawyers of reddit' video...

Well, that would depend on if what he is asking for is actually legal, or if it's being taken as a serious challenge. I know that there is precedence for certain acts not being held against a person if they are state sponsored. For example, professional executioners, those lucky few people that are legally allowed to sample narcotics, fatal hit-and-runs if you are a politician in route to a session of congress, etc.

Court filings and submissions are, with few exceptions, privileged.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

As it was put in one of the Adrian Mole books?

You need to be either very poor (Legal Aid in the UK) or very rich.

**Excommunicatus**

It's really hard to get legal aid for family law cases in England and Wales.

Harder than getting Lo! The Flat Hills of My Homeland published.