There is one thing that nobody else has considered yet; the criminal negligence of Dewey's tattoo artist. A recent post by Funky Skunky has got me thinking.
If that tattoo artist had actually created that "Lois is my mother" work accross Dewey's chest, he/she would be culpable on many counts. These include:
- Child endagerment
- Dangerous assault against a child, resulting in serious and potentially long term injuries.
- Inappropriate behaviour and coercion whilst alone in the presence of a minor without clothing.
- Making money out of minor in an unscrupulous way in the knowing that his "customer" is not legally responsible to make financial decisions.
- Extortion
- Failing to take a child to hospital for urgent medical attention - Dewey says he passed out before the drop shadow was completed. If so, then an ambulance should have been called out. The police too, to arrest the dodgy tattoo artist.
- Failure to notify a parent / guardian / other responsibile adult of Dewey's intentions dor having this tattoo.
Of course, in "borderline" circumstances when minors falsly claim to be eighteen (possibly 21 in USA) in order to get a tattoo, but are really just under this age, then the partial responsibility lies with the individual and not the artist. However, Dewey doesn't look a day over 13. He is clearly no where near the requisite age, and the tattoo artist would be knowingly committing a criminal offence the moment he reached for his tattoo equipment. He should have said no and called Dewey's parents immediately.
Lois, Hal and indeed Dewey would therefore have an immense entitlement for compensation. They wouldn't even need a good lawyer - even Hal could represent his own case and be successful before a judge and jury in this situation.