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Beauty and the Billionaire1 - Critical Reasoning Case

Beauty Queen had recently married the billionaire recluse Howard Huge. She consented to the couple
giving an interview to the great news person Baba Wawa. Beauty Queen hoped to further help Howard
Huge overcome his reclusiveness. Baba Wawa arrived at the mansion a little early and as she walked by
a large picture window at the front of the house she stopped and looked in. She saw Howard Huge
holding one of Beauty Queen’s prized Afghan dogs by its collar or neck, shaking or striking it on the
shoulders. Meanwhile, Beauty Queen was on her hands and knees on the carpet, wearing her
underwear, wiping something wet and brown looking from the luxurious cream colored carpeting, and
seemingly crying. Baba Wawa took pictures. She then waited outside the house until the appointed time
for the interview.
During the interview Beauty Queen talked about how happily married the two were. Howard Huge did
not say anything unless directly asked, then answered without emotion and briefly. At one point Baba
Wawa asked about the prize Afghan hounds and asked to see them. Beauty Queen uncomfortably told
Baba Wawa that they were under the weather and that she would not stress them by having them come
to the great room. Baba Wawa completed the interview and left.
The story that she published included the photo of Howard Huge “strangling” the prize dog and looking
like he was angry, with Beauty Queen appearing to be cowering and crying. Baba Wawa further
indicated that the couple refused to allow the dogs to be seen and that no one had seen the dogs since
the photographed scene.
The couple began to be shunned by their peers and denied permission to show the dogs. They sued
Baba Wawa and Star News, her employer, seeking compensation for damaging their reputations.
The real story was that the dog was choking on some object and Howard was trying to dislodge it by
hitting it between the shoulder blades and shaking it. Howard was worried about the poor dog, of which
he was very fond, throughout the interview. This might explain why he seemed surly or distant during
the interview.

Assignment:
1. Please identify the relevant facts in this scenario.
a. What happened here? Who did what to whom?
b. Distinguish the facts from opinions.
c. Distinguish between facts that are relevant (meaning those which are important for
your legal analysis, as opposed to those which are unimportant).
d. What additional facts would you need to know?
2. Please spot the legal issues in this fact pattern.
a. State the issues as specifically as you can, identifying the causes of action and
referring to the story.
b. I see five issues raised by the scenario. Can you spot them all?
c. It may help to start by writing “The issue is whether or not ...” State it as specifically
as you can, identifying the causes of action and referring to the story.

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