SC - Erdtepffel

[Valoise Armstrong]

I wrote to a gentleman in our group, Master Cathal MacEdan, to ask him
about the law regarding posting of feast ingredients.  Cathal has been
Kingdom Seneschal, Society Steward, and was on the committee to name
dirt.  We not-so-jokingly refer to him as the SCA Rules Lawyer.  He has
also mundanely worked as an insurance adjuster.  As you can see from his
reply below, I was mistaken about this being in our law.  His idea was
that it may have come down from a former Kingdom Seneschal who had many
food allergies.  
	Our correspondance:

Dear Cathal,
> 	I don't know where my copy of Kingdom Law is, but I know you have
yours close to hand ;)	I am under the impression that there is a
provision in MKL about posting feast ingredients in their entirety in the
hall.  Could you find this passage for me?
> 	Thank you,
> 	Christianna

	If such a provision exists in MKL, then it must be written in 
lemon juice and readable only by candlelight.  I've reviewed both 
the March 1998 hard copy edition as well as the on-line version 
updated though 1/2000, and there is nothing to that effect.

Cathal.

	However, in talking about this to him later on, he put forward the
opinion that if such a thing were to be legislated, it would put the
group at an untenable risk as far as the insurance was concerned.  If you
posted such a list, and then deviated from it for whatever reason, and
that deviation resulted in someone eating something they considered safe
(based on your published list) and having a reaction to the ingredient
that got added at the last minute, you are now liable for a lawsuit.  If
it is in writing in Kingdom or Society law, the umbrella of the group
would be liable.  If not, the individual who did the posting and then
deviating would be liable.  I questioned him specifically about this
point.  I asked, if the group does not have it in writing, but as cooks
we take it upon ourselves to encourage this practice as a Good Thing, we
are still liable?  Yes, we are.  I pointed out to him that at least one
other Kingdom did have it in Kingdom law, and he opined that it had not
been put to this kind of a test yet.  Of course, this is the sort of
thing you sign your waiver for, but we all know they aren't worth the
paper they are printed on, you just cannot sign away your right to sue
for damages.  
	So, the obvious answer being, post your list and don't deviate from it,
but still, how concerned should we be/are we about the possible legal
ramifications of this action?  
	This should stir up some lively conversation, which is good, things have
gotten so quiet around here ;)
	No flames please, but I do think this is a topic worth some serious
consideration.  It is a shame we have to take such precautions, but with
our litigious society, we can't afford not to.  
	Christianna
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