Should Casey Anthony’s Life Story Be Considered Property?

By Mary Ann Pekara
In Tampa this afternoon arguments will be heard in the Casey Anthony bankruptcy case as to whether or not Casey Anthony's life story can be considered property or not.
Last month, Stephen Meininger, the bankruptcy trustee handling Anthony's case, filed a motion that essentially said her life story could be used to pay her off her debt.
In the motion, "the Property" included details of Anthony's childhood (which includes allegations of sexual abuse by her father) as well as the disappearance and death of her daughter, Caylee.
Anthony's attorneys disagree on the basis that such a thing would be invading her constitutional rights and "private thoughts." They say the motion "should be denied because the 'property' that the Trustee seeks to sell does not exist."
"By allowing property that can only be created by post-petition labor to be sold as part of the bankruptcy estate, a debtor would never be able to achieve a "fresh start," the filing says. "Perhaps more troubling, the Order sought by the Trustee would result in the judicial invasion and taking of thoughts and memories that have not been memorialized but are contained solely within the debtor's mind. This is a terrifying Orwellian prospect that would destroy the long-standing protections guaranteed by the Bankruptcy Code."
A $10,000 bid was made on the story by James Schober, an attorney in Texas, who wants to prevent the story from ever getting out. This would stop Anthony from ever making a profit on her life story.
Meininger thinks auctioning off Anthony's story to the highest bidder would best maximize the value for those Anthony owes in her bankruptcy filing, listing over $792,000 in debt.
Anthony, 27, has been unemployed and living with friends since she was acquitted of her daughter's death in 2011. She has yet to share her side of the story.