Legal Links of Interest for the week ending October 12, 2012

Some of the stories about the law and lawyers in the news this past week:

·         One Million Motorists Skipped Out On $35M InUnpaid Thruway Tolls: Records reviewed through a Freedom of Information request show that the New York State Thruway Authority's finances have been hurt by its inability to recoup tolls and fines from people who zip through EZ-Pass lanes scot-free.

·         New law expands farm distilleries' salesoptions:  Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation last week to allow licensed farm distilleries to sell liquor at the New York State Fair, local fairs and farmers’ markets.

·         It could become illegal to resell your iPhone 4,car or family antiques: If the Supreme Court upholds an appellate court ruling, it would mean that the copyright holders of anything you own that has been made in another country would have to give you permission to sell it.

·         New York traffic cameras use short yellow lights to increase ticket revenue: AAA New York has found that New York City intersections with cameras have yellow lights that are shorter by as much as 15 percent compared to the city standard.

·         New York Court of Appeals mulls if gang memberis a terrorist: The state’s highest court will consider whether the street gangsters who crashed a Bronx christening party, starting a fight that left a 10-year-old bystander dead, are also terrorists who deserve longer prison time.

·         Obama vs. Romney on the Supreme Court: Control of the Supreme Court, perhaps for a generation, is very much up for grab in the coming presidential election.

Report: Affinity frauds increase in economic downturn

From the New York Post:

Maybe it's the bad economy. Maybe it's people's desire to look past Wall Street and invest with someone they believe they can trust.

But whatever the reason, swindles of friends by friends are on the rise -- so much so, that prosecutors have coined a separate name for it: Affinity frauds...Savvy people who would never dream of investing with a cold-call telephone huckster will hock their homes and ruin their credit for a "friend" with an honest face and a good idea....

Many “friendly” business offers are legitimate. However, even a legitimate business deal can go sour if one or both parties do not realize what they are getting into.

The best way to avoid fraud, or other legal complications, is to consult a qualified attorney of your own choosing before entering into any contract or making any sizeable investment, even with a friend or family member.