She can't keep the million dollar lottery ticket

[Irish]

A pair of Sharons have been fighting over a $1 million lottery jackpot, and an Arkansas judge finally sorted the situation out on Tuesday. Sharon Duncan bought and trashed the winning ticket after a computer scanner told her, "Sorry, not a winner." Sharon Jones grabbed it out of the garbage bin, realized that the computer was wrong and cashed it in. The judge said that Jones never proved that Duncan abandoned her rights to the money, which sounds like code for "Duncan just had a better attorney." Jones, who has already spent some of the cash on a new truck and gifts for her kids, will appeal the decision.


Do you think she should be allowed to keep the cash?

http://now.msn.com/money/0502-lottery-ticket-lawsuit.aspx

[WickedSix]

Don't think the law of finders keepers applies here, she trashed it due to a malfuntion of a machine. She abandoned her rights to a 'losing lottery ticket' not a winning one

[GHOSST]

Don't think the law of finders keepers applies here, she trashed it due to a malfuntion of a machine. She abandoned her rights to a 'losing lottery ticket' not a winning one

I agree. S. Duncan was unaware, and I think she should receive her ticket by default. Who knows, maybe if Sharon Jones was upfront and honest, she would have been rewarded, maybe not. But now at least she might be completely empty handed.

Greed.

[73MACH]

If it were me, and the machine told me it wasn't a winner and was NOT given the money, there would be a lawsuit with someone. Either the place of business, or the state lottery as it was their machine. I would try to get that money one way or another.

[brotherbenn83]

This story can be summed up in one word: Arkansas. If you are too dumb to read the numbers yourself off the tv, on the internet or often times they are posted in the store...you don't deserve to win. If she wanted any possible chance of claiming that money, she should have signed the back of her ticket as soon as she bought it.

[Prince Valiant]

If it were me, and the machine told me it wasn't a winner and was NOT given the money, there would be a lawsuit with someone. Either the place of business, or the state lottery as it was their machine. I would try to get that money one way or another.

This is probably a more accurate assessment of what's going on...

In terms of who owns the ticket, it rightfully belongs to the person in possession. If you throw it away, even in error, you've forfeited your claim to ownership.

S. Jones grabbed it rightfully so, and is entitled to it.

But this isn't to say that S. Duncan has no claim...an error on the part of the lottery administrators has caused her harm which might entitle her to claim damages, ones that can be contested in court. There may be an out for the lottery officials (ie, the ticket holder is responsible for ensuring the results, blah blah blah), but it's unlikely a very strong out. Whether she'd be awarded a million remains unseen, but I would be surprised if she walked away empty handed.

[Car Guy]

I buy two dollars a week in lottery tickets just for the chance. I first check the numbers myself and then before they hit the garbage I scan them with the machine. This story sums up why. Obviously machines can make mistakes but humans can also, nobody is perfect.

If I was the judge they would both get half. You do not deserve all of the winnings if you trust the outcome of a potential HUGE sum of money to a machine. :rolleyes:

[Prince Valiant]

If I was the judge they would both get half.
Judges are bound by law...there would be no basis for such a ruling.

[Car Guy]

I'm sure something could be arranged.