Trouser-claim man applies to appeal

A US man who lost a claim for €40m after his trousers went missing while at a dry cleaners plans to appeal.

Roy Pearson’s two-page filing seeking an appeal before the city of Washington, DC’s highest court presented no new arguments in a case that drew international headlines.

Jin Nam Chung and Soo Chung, the owners of Custom Cleaners, had hoped Pearson would back off the case after withdrawing their demand on Monday that he pay nearly $83,000 (€61,500) to cover their legal fees.

“We were hopeful that he would forego his appeal based on what we did, but it's not unexpected based on his demeanour throughout the case,” the Chungs’ attorney, Chris Manning, said.

Pearson, an administrative law judge, has claimed that the “Satisfaction Guaranteed” sign that once hung in the Chungs’ shop was misleading and violated the city’s consumer protection act.

In 2005, a pair of Pearson’s trousers went missing at the cleaner’s.

A week later, the Chungs said the trousers had been found, but Pearson said they were not his trousers and decided to sue.

Pearson did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.