Lottery Ticket Dispute Heads to Court

Court Alerts

What was supposed to be a festive New England Christmas tradition has turned sour for two former friends who are taking their fight over a $200,000 winning lottery ticket to court.

Brenda White, 55, of Plaistow, N.H., won the $200,000 on a Massachusetts State Lottery $5 scratch ticket appropriately called "Bah Hum Bucks" during a Yankee swap party on Dec. 15 in Haverhill.

In a Yankee swap, participants have the option of either keeping a gift they choose, or swapping for a gift selected by someone who preceded them.

White swapped for the lottery ticket originally selected by Franco Sapia, 39, of Derry, N.H.

Before scratching the ticket, she promised to split any winnings with Sapia, according to a complaint Sapia filed in Essex Superior Court. She didn't, and Sapia is claiming half the jackpot in his lawsuit, saying there were several witnesses to the promise.

A judge has agreed to freeze the jackpot until the matter is resolved.

Related listings

  • High Court Asked to Review Congress Raid

    High Court Asked to Review Congress Raid

    Court Alerts 12/22/2007

    [##_1L|1114741095.jpg|width="150" height="128" alt=""|_##]The Justice Department has asked the Supreme Court to toss out a lower court ruling that says the FBI was wrong to raid Democratic Rep. William Jefferson's office, a decision the Bush administ...

  • Court reinstates ski resort lawsuit

    Court reinstates ski resort lawsuit

    Court Alerts 12/20/2007

    [##_1L|1149248224.jpg|width="120" height="88" alt=""|_##]Skiing is full of risks, and skiers assume the potential for injury when they try to navigate a course down a steep mountainside. But not all the risks are necessarily inherent ones, the Utah S...

  • Ex-Refco executive Maggio pleads guilty to fraud

    Ex-Refco executive Maggio pleads guilty to fraud

    Court Alerts 12/20/2007

    A former senior Refco Inc executive pleaded guilty on Wednesday to criminal charges for his role in an alleged fraud that led to the collapse of the futures and commodities broker.Santo Maggio, 56, who was president of the Refco Capital Markets unit,...

Grounds for Divorce in Ohio - Sylkatis Law, LLC

A divorce in Ohio is filed when there is typically “fault” by one of the parties and party not at “fault” seeks to end the marriage. A court in Ohio may grant a divorce for the following reasons:
• Willful absence of the adverse party for one year
• Adultery
• Extreme cruelty
• Fraudulent contract
• Any gross neglect of duty
• Habitual drunkenness
• Imprisonment in a correctional institution at the time of filing the complaint
• Procurement of a divorce outside this state by the other party

Additionally, there are two “no-fault” basis for which a court may grant a divorce:
• When the parties have, without interruption for one year, lived separate and apart without cohabitation
• Incompatibility, unless denied by either party

However, whether or not the the court grants the divorce for “fault” or not, in Ohio the party not at “fault” will not get a bigger slice of the marital property.

Business News

New York & New Jersey Family Law Matters We represent our clients in all types of proceedings that include termination of parental rights. >> read