Judge sues over missing pants

WASHINGTON, June 13 (UPI) -- A Washington administrative law judge is suing a dry cleaner for $67.3 million after the business misplaced an expensive pair of pants.

Roy Pearson Jr. said he planned to wear the pants during his first week on the job in 2005, but the dry cleaner misplaced his clothing and -- the suit claims -- tried to pass off a cheaper pair of pants as his, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

The case has sparked complaints to the District of Columbia Bar and city officials from trial lawyer and tort reform groups that say the case could negatively affect public trust in the legal system.

"I don't know of any other cases that have been quite this ridiculous," Paul Rothstein, a professor of law at Georgetown University, told the Times.

Pearson says he demanded $1,150 from Custom Dry Cleaners after workers misplaced the pants from one of his suits. He says he decided to sue after the cleaners refused to pay.