The Case of: Is The Tomato a Fruit Or Vegetable?

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By:

Team of Hukumindo

Previously, the Hukumindo.com platform has talk about "The Hot Coffee Spill Lawsuit", "I Have a Contract Whose Goods Have Not Been Delivered, How Do I Sue Under Indonesian Law?" and on this occasion we will discuss about 'The Case of: Is The Tomato a Fruit Or Vegetable?'. This article is taken entirely from the site "Lawabsolute.com" entitled: "Most bizarre legal cases throughout history" as quoted in reference.

In 1893, the Supreme Court ruled that the tomato is a vegetable. The whole situation came about during a case between the Nix family, one of the largest sellers of produce in New York City, and Edward Hedden, a collector at the Port of New York.[1]

The Nix family sued Hedden to recover fees they had spent on transporting the tomatoes, because legislation at the time stated tax must be paid on imported vegetables, but not fruit.[2]

Allegedly during the trial, both sides put forward definitions of fruit and vegetables to argue their cases. Botanically, any seed-bearing structure formed from a flowering plant, is a fruit.[3]

The court unanimously decided that the scientific classification doesn’t change common language, and that a tomato is a vegetable because the public generally think of it as one.[4] And if you have difficulties with this topic, contact us, feel free in 24 hour, we will be happy to help you. 

*) For further information please contact:

Mahmud Kusuma Advocate

Law Office

Jakarta - Indonesia.

E-mail: mahmudkusuma22@gmail.com

________________

Reference:

1. "Most bizarre legal cases throughout history", www.lawabsolute.com., Diakses pada tanggal 2 Maret 2022, https://www.lawabsolute.com/recruitment-news/article/most-bizarre-legal-cases-throughout-history

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.