Needed: Large Venues for Large Protest/Rallies in New York City

Peaceful protests, protected by the First Amendment, are fundamental to our constitutional system and to democracy. Peaceful protest marches and rallies have been instrumental in bringing about significant change in racial, gender, LGBTQ and economic equality; reproductive rights; climate policy; capital punishment; housing; criminal justice, and voting rights. Yet in recent years appropriate venues have been unavailable for large peaceful protests, raising the question of whether City practices inappropriately limit the exercise of First Amendment … <Read More>


Pedicab Operator Fined $750

Unlicensed owner left pedicab in the “No Standing” area of Central Park. Shakhboz Muzafforov left his pedicab unattended in front of the Loeb Boat House at East 73rd Street in Central Park at 12:22 p.m. on May 16, 2017.  A Parks officer served Muzafforov a summons for unlawfully leaving a pedicab in a prohibited location.  Later that day at 2:05 p.m., a Parks officer asked Muzafforov for his license and upon review of the … <Read More>


Carriage Owner Wins Injunction

Central Park Sightseeing, a horse carriage company offering rides in Central Park, sued New Yorkers for Clean, Livable & Safe Streets, an animal rights group based in New York City that is opposed horse-drawn carriages. Central Park Sightseeing claimed that the animal rights group created a public nuisance by interfering with public safety and the safe flow of traffic, and that the animal rights group interfered with the horse carriage business by harassing, threatening, and … <Read More>


Trees: Tort Liability For Injuries Involving Trees

Trees under the common law were considered natural conditions with the result that possessors of land were not liable for injuries caused trees. Professor William Prosser wrote in the first edition of the hornbook on Torts (1941) that the traditional common law rule was that the possessor of land was under no affirmative duty to make safe dangerous conditions on the land that were natural in origin. Prosser went on to say, however, that there … <Read More>


Operating a Health Club in New York City: A Weighted Issue

Over 72 million Americans are considered clinically obese. With the increased emphasis on diet and exercise, gyms are turning up everywhere throughout New York City. Owning and operating a gym is not a simple process. Gym owners face zoning restrictions, permit requirements, and potential tort liability.