A custody battle in an Iowa court has taken a turn for the bizarre. David Ostrom, 40, of Paolo, Kansas, has asked the court to grant a motion allowing him to settle a custody battle against his ex-wife, Bridgette Ostrom, 38, and her lawyer with trial by combat.

In what amounts to a tongue-in-cheek motion, Ostrom claims that his ex-wife and her attorney, Matthew Hudson, have “destroyed [him] legally” and that trial by combat would allow him to handle the issue “on the field of battle where [he] will rend their souls from their corporal [sic] bodies.” He has also requested 12 weeks in which to acquire or forge katana or wakizashi swords.

In court records obtained by the press, Ostrom argues that trial by combat has not been explicitly banned or restricted in the U.S., and was invoked as recently as 1818 in Britain. He also cited a 2016 ruling by the New York State Supreme Court which stated that duels have not been abolished in the U.S.

“Surely [Ostrom] meant ‘corporeal’ bodies which Merriam Webster defines as having, consisting of, or relating to, a physical material body,” Hudson wrote in resistance to Ostrom’s motion. “Although [Ostrom] and potential combatant do have souls to be rended, they respectfully request that the court not order this done.”

Ostrom appears to derive most of his frustrations with the case from Hudson’s action. In explaining his rationale for such a strange motion, he said, “I think I've met Mr. Hudson's absurdity with my own absurdity.”

Hudson has asked for Ostrom’s visitation rights to be suspended and that he be ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation. Ostrom has counter-argued that he has no history of mental illness.

“If Mr. Hudson is willing to do it, I will meet him,” Ostrom said when asked if his motion was serious. “I don't think he has the guts to do it.”

Ostrom reportedly got the idea from the HBO series “Game of Thrones.” He has also said that he has no interest in physically harming anyone and is merely attempting to put the spotlight on his opposition, whom he says have ignored him and the issue of equal custody.

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