Over the years, The Smoking Gun has occasionally leafed through the name change ledgers at the local courthouse. Usually, we find someone named Lipschitz petitioning to change their handle to something less tragic. But down in North Carolina, 28-year-old Jennifer Briggs just changed her name in a strictly commercial transaction. As part of a "Star Wars" promotion sponsored by a local radio station, Briggs got $1000 to change her name to Obi-Wan Kenobi Briggs (and here are some of the court papers she filed). While TSG thinks this is a mockery of the court system, we'll pay Jennifer $1000 if she'll again change her name--this time to www.thesmokinggun.com Briggs. You know where to reach us, Obi-Wan. (3 pages)

For a slightly more serious filing, here's an amusing court order drafted in March by Samuel B. Kent, a federal judge based in Galveston, Texas. Kent was responding to a request by the Bolivian government to try a civil case against U.S. tobacco companies in his out-of-the-way courthouse. Thanks to ABC News's Keith Summa for the heads-up on this document. (4 pages)

Prize contest: Who kept getting busted?

Honest, that is Ted Kaczynski's signature.
 

 

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