Litigation

Given the downward pressure on commercial real estate valuations in many areas, and the increasing likelihood that owners of real property will cease paying real property taxes when there is no longer any equity, we decided to report on a recent decision issued by the Ninth Circuit that reversed a decision of the bankruptcy court allocating the distribution of the proceeds of a sale of real property pro rata between the IRS, on account of its tax lien, and the bankruptcy estate.

Scouting Organization's Adverse Possession Claim Against County Land Fails Easement Not Subject to Termination Under RPAPL 1951 Doctrine of Emblements Might Sustain Former Tenant's Claim to Crops Church Property Tax Exempt Because Town Did Not Establish Zoning Violation

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit called Live Nation Entertainment Inc.'s requirement of new procedures for mass arbitration claims unenforceable and rejected the company's bid to keep a proposed class action lawsuit alleging inflated ticket prices out of court.

Landowner Did Not Establish Nonconforming Use Protection Zoning Board of Appeals Misconstrued Town Code Definition NYU Has Standing to Challenge Zoning Amendment

Notable recent court filings in entertainment law.

The presidential vote is just a few days away, but the ballots in Johnson & Johnson's talc bankruptcy have lawyers already asking for a recount. At an Oct. 21 hearing, lawyers for thousands of talcum powder claimants clamored to crack open the confidential vote tabulation behind J&J's $9 billion prepackaged bankruptcy plan.

Public Purpose Challenge to Condemnation Rejected

Federal Circuit: Falsely Claiming That a Product Feature is Patented Can Give Rise to a False Advertising Claim Under the Lanham Act Federal Circuit: A Prior Decision in an IPR Does Not Collaterally Estop the Patentee in a Subsequent Litigation Where Invalidity Must be Proven by 'Clear and Convincing Evidence'