Is This a Joke?

I generally advise against using humor in anything filed in court, and for paralegals, who do drafts of documents that may or may not get close scrutiny by their supervising attorneys before something gets signed and filed, it is still fine advice. But some cases, and some attorneys, cry out for the occasional burst of humor in court. A big thanks to Above the Law for tipping us off to the following introductory statement in a Motion to Dismiss:

A monkey, an animal-rights organization and a primatologist walk into federal court to sue for infringement of the monkey’s claimed copyright. What seems like the setup for a punchline is really happening. It should not be happening…. [D]ismissal of this action is required for lack of standing and failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Monkey see, monkey sue is not good law – at least not in the Ninth Circuit.

If your curiosity is piqued, you can read the full motion here.