Overlawyered » NYC http://overlawyered.com Chronicling the high cost of our legal system Sun, 27 May 2012 14:01:44 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Reluctant to recant rape accusation http://overlawyered.com/2012/05/reluctant-to-recant-rape-accusation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reluctant-to-recant-rape-accusation http://overlawyered.com/2012/05/reluctant-to-recant-rape-accusation/#comments Fri, 25 May 2012 12:23:46 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=29973 Brian Banks served more than five years in prison after an old friend “falsely accused him of attacking her on their high school campus”: In a strange turn of events, the woman, Wanetta Gibson, friended him on Facebook when he got out of prison. In an initial meeting with him, she said she had lied; [...]

Reluctant to recant rape accusation is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

]]> Brian Banks served more than five years in prison after an old friend “falsely accused him of attacking her on their high school campus”:

In a strange turn of events, the woman, Wanetta Gibson, friended him on Facebook when he got out of prison.

In an initial meeting with him, she said she had lied; there had been no kidnap and no rape and she offered to help him clear his record, court records state.

But she refused to repeat the story to prosecutors because she feared she would have to return a $1.5 million payment from a civil suit brought by her mother against Long Beach schools….

It was uncertain Thursday whether Gibson will have to return the money.

[AP via Balko, Volokh; & welcome Reddit readers]

Meanwhile, on the opposite coast, high-profile Brooklyn sex crimes prosecutor Lauren Hersh has resigned following a furor over a sex trafficking case in which “prosecutors had held on to documents showing the victim recanted rape allegations one day after making them.” [NY Post, more] P.S. Daniel Fisher reminds us of Hersh’s “starring role in New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof’s expose of Backpage, the Village Voice’s online personals section.”

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Reluctant to recant rape accusation is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

]]> http://overlawyered.com/2012/05/reluctant-to-recant-rape-accusation/feed/ 11 NYC issues $300 tickets for ornamental birdbaths http://overlawyered.com/2012/04/nyc-issues-300-tickets-for-ornamental-birdbaths/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nyc-issues-300-tickets-for-ornamental-birdbaths http://overlawyered.com/2012/04/nyc-issues-300-tickets-for-ornamental-birdbaths/#comments Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:14:43 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=29349 The premise is that they are a public health menace since standing water in them might afford a haven for mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus. [Gideon Kanner] Tweet Tags: animals, Michael Bloomberg, NYC, public health

NYC issues $300 tickets for ornamental birdbaths is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

]]> The premise is that they are a public health menace since standing water in them might afford a haven for mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus. [Gideon Kanner]

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NYC issues $300 tickets for ornamental birdbaths is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

]]> http://overlawyered.com/2012/04/nyc-issues-300-tickets-for-ornamental-birdbaths/feed/ 8 April 18 roundup http://overlawyered.com/2012/04/april-19-roundup-3/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=april-19-roundup-3 http://overlawyered.com/2012/04/april-19-roundup-3/#comments Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:05:17 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=28794 “MPAA: you can infringe copyright just by embedding a video” [Timothy Lee, Ars Technica] NYC: fee for court-appointed fire department race-bias monitor is rather steep [Reuters] Larry Schonbron on VW class action [Washington Times] Watch out, world: “U.S. class action lawyers look abroad” [Reuters] Deborah LaFetra, “Non-injury class actions don’t belong in federal court” [PLF] [...]

April 18 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

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  • “MPAA: you can infringe copyright just by embedding a video” [Timothy Lee, Ars Technica]
  • NYC: fee for court-appointed fire department race-bias monitor is rather steep [Reuters]
  • Larry Schonbron on VW class action [Washington Times] Watch out, world: “U.S. class action lawyers look abroad” [Reuters] Deborah LaFetra, “Non-injury class actions don’t belong in federal court” [PLF]
  • Will animal rights groups have to pay hefty legal bill after losing Ringling Bros. suit? [BLT]
  • You shouldn’t need a lobbyist to build a house [Mead, Yglesias]
  • “Astorino and Westchester Win Against Obama’s HUD” [Brennan, NRO] My two cents [City Journal] Why not abolish HUD? [Kaus]
  • “Community organized breaking and entering,” Chicago style [Kevin Funnell; earlier, NYC]
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    April 18 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     http://overlawyered.com/2012/04/april-19-roundup-3/feed/ 1     Near the landmark vacant lots, a landmark gas station http://overlawyered.com/2012/04/near-the-landmark-vacant-lots-a-landmark-gas-station/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=near-the-landmark-vacant-lots-a-landmark-gas-station http://overlawyered.com/2012/04/near-the-landmark-vacant-lots-a-landmark-gas-station/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:29:29 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=28884 New York City gets away with landmarking all sorts of properties no one would ordinarily consider to be of architectural or historic distinction. It’s almost as if the city’s using the law as a generalized development control or something [Annie Karni, NY Post via Ira Stoll] Tweet Tags: historic preservation, NYC, real estate

    Near the landmark vacant lots, a landmark gas station is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     New York City gets away with landmarking all sorts of properties no one would ordinarily consider to be of architectural or historic distinction. It’s almost as if the city’s using the law as a generalized development control or something [Annie Karni, NY Post via Ira Stoll]

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    Near the landmark vacant lots, a landmark gas station is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     http://overlawyered.com/2012/04/near-the-landmark-vacant-lots-a-landmark-gas-station/feed/ 0     Advocacy funding the Gotham way http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/advocacy-funding-the-gotham-way/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=advocacy-funding-the-gotham-way http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/advocacy-funding-the-gotham-way/#comments Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:49:45 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=28636 A Bronx nonprofit that’s gotten $240,000 from taxpayers teaches followers how to squat in city buildings. “It’s breaking and entering for dummies.” [NYPost] Tweet Tags: landlord tenant law, NYC, real estate

    Advocacy funding the Gotham way is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     A Bronx nonprofit that’s gotten $240,000 from taxpayers teaches followers how to squat in city buildings. “It’s breaking and entering for dummies.” [NYPost]

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    Advocacy funding the Gotham way is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/advocacy-funding-the-gotham-way/feed/ 4     “JFK Airport a Foul Nest of Luggage Thieves, Claims Random Dude” http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/jfk-airport-a-foul-nest-of-luggage-thieves-claims-random-dude/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jfk-airport-a-foul-nest-of-luggage-thieves-claims-random-dude http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/jfk-airport-a-foul-nest-of-luggage-thieves-claims-random-dude/#comments Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:22:01 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=28592 Choire Sicha at The Awl reports on the latest doings of New York attorney and emerging Overlawyered favorite Kenneth Mollins, seen earlier here and here. Tweet Tags: airlines, NYC

    “JFK Airport a Foul Nest of Luggage Thieves, Claims Random Dude” is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     Choire Sicha at The Awl reports on the latest doings of New York attorney and emerging Overlawyered favorite Kenneth Mollins, seen earlier here and here.

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    “JFK Airport a Foul Nest of Luggage Thieves, Claims Random Dude” is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/jfk-airport-a-foul-nest-of-luggage-thieves-claims-random-dude/feed/ 0     March 23 roundup http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/march-23-roundup-4/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=march-23-roundup-4 http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/march-23-roundup-4/#comments Fri, 23 Mar 2012 04:05:34 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=28159 Tips for those facing vexatious-litigant proceedings [Lowering the Bar; U.K.] Credit card arbitration: “Plaintiffs’ lawyers protect their cartel by bringing antitrust suit” [Ted Frank, PoL] Just what European business needs: gender quotas for corporate boards [Bader, CEI] “Food sovereignty” movement: next, rediscovering freedom of contract? [Alex Beam, Ira Stoll] Much-assailed group for state legislators: “ALEC [...]

    March 23 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>
  • Tips for those facing vexatious-litigant proceedings [Lowering the Bar; U.K.]
  • Credit card arbitration: “Plaintiffs’ lawyers protect their cartel by bringing antitrust suit” [Ted Frank, PoL]
  • Just what European business needs: gender quotas for corporate boards [Bader, CEI]
  • “Food sovereignty” movement: next, rediscovering freedom of contract? [Alex Beam, Ira Stoll]
  • Much-assailed group for state legislators: “ALEC Enjoys A New Wave of Influence and Criticism” [Alan Greenblatt, Governing]
  • Symposium on David Bernstein’s Rehabilitating Lochner [Law and Liberty, earlier here and here]
  • Because rent control is all about fairness [Damon Root]
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    March 23 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/march-23-roundup-4/feed/ 2     Bloomberg: no food donations to homeless shelters http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/bloomberg-no-food-donations-to-homeless-shelters/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bloomberg-no-food-donations-to-homeless-shelters http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/bloomberg-no-food-donations-to-homeless-shelters/#comments Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:06:37 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=28442 “[Glenn] Richter has been collecting food from places like the Ohav Zedek synagogue and bringing it to homeless shelters for more than 20 years, but recently his donation, including a ‘cholent‘ or carrot stew, was turned away because the Bloomberg administration wants to monitor the salt, fat and fiber eaten by the homeless. … Richter [...]

    Bloomberg: no food donations to homeless shelters is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     “[Glenn] Richter has been collecting food from places like the Ohav Zedek synagogue and bringing it to homeless shelters for more than 20 years, but recently his donation, including a ‘cholent‘ or carrot stew, was turned away because the Bloomberg administration wants to monitor the salt, fat and fiber eaten by the homeless. … Richter said that over the years he’s delivered more than two tons of food to the homeless.” The NYC mayor says he’s not planning to reconsider the recently adopted policy. [CBS-NY] Earlier here (Connecticut), here (N.J.: “retail food establishment”), here, etc.

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    Bloomberg: no food donations to homeless shelters is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/bloomberg-no-food-donations-to-homeless-shelters/feed/ 16     Urban development, the NYC way http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/urban-development-the-nyc-way/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=urban-development-the-nyc-way http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/urban-development-the-nyc-way/#comments Sat, 03 Mar 2012 15:45:25 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=27958 “A 2-story Whole Foods on an empty lot in the heart of brownstone Brooklyn should not take 8 yrs to (maybe) get permits” [@MarketUrbanism on NYT coverage] Tweet Tags: land use and zoning, NYC, real estate

    Urban development, the NYC way is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     “A 2-story Whole Foods on an empty lot in the heart of brownstone Brooklyn should not take 8 yrs to (maybe) get permits” [@MarketUrbanism on NYT coverage]

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    Urban development, the NYC way is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/urban-development-the-nyc-way/feed/ 0     NYC restaurant inspections vs. good food http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/nyc-restaurant-inspections-vs-good-food/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nyc-restaurant-inspections-vs-good-food http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/nyc-restaurant-inspections-vs-good-food/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:36:43 +0000 Walter Olson http://overlawyered.com/?p=27939 Josh Barro explains why he prefers establishments that get a “B” rather than an “A” grade from NYC hygiene inspectors. [Forbes] Tweet Tags: food safety, NYC, restaurants

    NYC restaurant inspections vs. good food is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     Josh Barro explains why he prefers establishments that get a “B” rather than an “A” grade from NYC hygiene inspectors. [Forbes]

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    NYC restaurant inspections vs. good food is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

    ]]>     http://overlawyered.com/2012/03/nyc-restaurant-inspections-vs-good-food/feed/ 1