As we noted Apr. 16, the Arizona State Board of Appraisal has sent a letter to Zillow.com demanding that it cease and desist from offering its free online estimates of property values in the state, on the grounds that Arizona law prohibits the unlicensed offering of real estate appraisals. Eugene Volokh (Apr. 30) believes that as interpreted by the regulatory board, at least, the Arizona statute is probably “constitutionally overbroad”. Notes commenter Duffy Pratt: “I don’t think Zillow is doing an ‘appraisal’ anymore than I am practicing law by saying this statute is hooey.” Legislation is moving forward in the Arizona legislature that would provide clearer authorization for services like Zillow to operate (John Cook’s Venture Blog (Seattle Post-Intelligencer), Apr. 30; “Arizona House passes bill impacting ‘Zestimates'” Inman News, May 1). More: Greg Swann, BloodhoundBlog, Apr. 29 and other posts; Jonathan Lansner, “Arizona has a Zillow problem”, Orange County Register, Apr. 18.
Archive for May, 2007
May 1 roundup
- Jack Thompson, call your office: FBI search turns up no evidence Virginia Tech killer owned or played videogames [Monsters and Critics]
- How many zeroes was that? Bank of America threatens ABN Amro with $220 billion suit if it reneges on deal to sell Chicago’s LaSalle Bank [Times (U.K.), Consumerist]
- Chuck Colson will be disappointed, but the rule of law wins: Supreme Court declines to intervene in Miller-Jenkins (Vermont-Virginia lesbian custody) dispute [AP; see Mar. 2 and many earlier posts]
- Oklahoma legislature passes, but governor vetoes, comprehensive liability-reform bill [Point of Law first, second, third posts]
- Good primer on California’s much-abused Prop 65 right-to-know toxics law [CalBizLit via Ted @ PoL]
- “Defensive psychiatry” and the pressure to hospitalize persons who talk of suicide [Intueri]
- Among the many other reasons not to admire RFK Jr., there’s his wind-farm hypocrisy [Mac Johnson, Energy Tribune]
- “Screed-O-Matic” simulates nastygrams dashed off by busy Hollywood lawyer Martin Singer [Portfolio]
- “Liability, health issues” cited as Carmel, Ind. officials plan to eject companion dogs from special-needs program, though no parents have complained [Indpls. Star; similar 1999 story from Ohio]
- First glimmerings of Sen. John Edwards’s national ambitions [five years ago on Overlawyered]