Results tagged “appeal”

When courting a young maiden, it is acceptable to formally introduce oneself through a mutual acquaintance in society, or by sending a virtual "wink" through the social networking website of your choice. Other methods, such as honking one's horn or pretending to be a Rockefeller, are generally considered unacceptable. But what about breaking into a woman's apartment, stripping naked, getting into bed with her and licking her neck?

During the past week or so, developer Bruce Ratner had finally seemed to have a little wind in his sails as he pushed forward with his $4.2 billion odyssey to build a Nets basketball arena, office towers and thousands of apartments in Brooklyn. The MTA agreed to a sweetheart deal to sell him the Vanderbilt Railyards, and the Empire State Development Corporation [ESDC] brushed off demands that Ratner resubmit his heavily revised plans for another full public review. But now the whole project is back to being embattled, as the state's highest court has agreed to hear the eminent domain lawsuit brought by opponents who say the ESDC is trying to seize private property to benefit Forest City Ratner, not the public. In May, a state appellate court unanimously rejected the lawsuit, and Ratner's attorneys expressed great confidence that the Court of Appeals wouldn't hear the case. At the time, Ratner said, "I’m honestly overjoyed. This is a weight off my back." Now the weight's back on, and, since the court operates on its own timeline, some wonder whether a ruling will be issued within enough time for developer to meet a year-end deadline to secure tax-free arena financing.

Yesterday New York's highest court upheld the felony forgery conviction of a man who was arrested in 2005 for "selling swipes" to subway riders using MetroCards altered with a simple bending technique. How simple? Well, Judge Victoria A. Graffeo tells you pretty much exactly how to do it in the 12-page decision [pdf], which explains how defendant Jonathan Mattocks would bend discarded MetroCards in such a way that the turnstile computers were unable to read one of two magnetic fields on the cards, resulting in a "free" ride.

Yesterday, it was revealed that inmate No. 61727-054 Metropolitan Correctional Center—a.k.a. Bernard Madoff—was worth around $823-826 million. His lawyers filed an appeal to get Madoff out of jail and listed his assets.

That $6,000 shower curtain lover, Dennis Kozlowski, is staying in prison since an appeal courtsupheld his fraud conviction. Kozlowski headed Tyco, until it was discovered he and former CFO Mark Swartz stole $150 million from the company. Kozlowski's excess was epitomized by decadent parties and overpriced home accessories like the shower curtain and a $15,000 umbrella stand. Wall Street Journal's Law Blog has more details on their failed appeal, which only brings us memories of the first trial that ended in mistrial and that juror!

Today the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal by 11 Brooklyn property owners and tenants whose homes and businesses would be razed to make way for the $4 billion Atlantic Yards project. Coincidentally, today marks the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s narrow 5-4 ruling in the case of Kelo v. City of New London, which affirmed the government’s power to use eminent domain to accommodate private development.

Would-be Empire State Building jumper, Jeb Corliss (pictured), isn't in the clear yet. Last year's decision from Supreme Court Justice Michael Ambrecht to dismiss the charges against him was overturned yesterday when The Supreme Court Appellate Division decided to bring the case back to life.