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April 23, 2014

Michael Rikon Authors NYLJ Article: “More on Discovery of Prior Appraisals”

Michael Rikon recently authored an article in the New York Law Journal discussing the use of prior appraisals in eminent domain litigation proceedings. In the article, Mr. Rikon explains under Eminent Domain Procedure Law section 303, the condemning authority must authorize an advance payment based on its highest approved appraisal. However, often times at trial, the condemnor will introduce a subsequent appraisal at a lower amount, exposing the claimants  to a potential judgment if the trial court accepts the state’s appraisal as the fair market value on title vesting date…. read more

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Posted in Condemnation Procedures, Eminent Domain, New York, Offer & Compensation, Published Articles
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December 17, 2013

Michael Rikon Authors NYLJ Article: “The Valuation of a Golf Course in a Tax Assessment Challenge-Not a Gimme”

Michael Rikon authored an article published in the New York Law Journal about a recent tax certiorari proceeding, Matter of Hempstead Country Club v. Board of Assessors, 2013 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 7156. The decision, authored by the Honorable Thomas A. Dickerson and decided on November 6, 2013, involved a challenge to the tax assessments made on 123 acres of property in Nassau County used as a private, not-for-profit golf course. The parties both agreed that the property should be assessed as a not for profit golf course; they also… read more

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Posted in New York, Published Articles, Tax Certiorari
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November 5, 2013

GRRH Sponsors the NYLJ 125th Anniversary Dinner

GRRH was pleased to be a sponsor the New York Law Journal’s 125th Anniversary Dinner. The NYLJ has been the newspaper of record for the legal community since its beginning in 1888. The Law Journal celebrated the occasion with a special commemorative issue published on Monday. The Anniversary dinner was held Monday evening. Michael Rikon, a partner at GRRH, has written a column for the law journal since 1995. The dinner program included awards to the Law Journal’s lifetime achievers, a group of judges and lawyers who have devoted their careers… read more

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Posted in New York, Published Articles
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August 30, 2013

NYLJ Article, “The Court’s Duty in a Condemnation Case”

Partners Michael Rikon & Jonathan Houghton recently authored an article in the New York Law Journal titled “The Court’s Duty in a Condemnation Case.” The article discusses a recent decision by the Appellate Division, Second Department, affirming an order of the Kings County Supreme Court Justice Wayne Saitta which granted a motion for leave to exchange amended appraisal reports and vacate the Note of Issue filed by the condemnor. The motion followed the review of both sides’ appraisals prior to trial. The trial court reviewed the appraisals that the parties intended to… read more

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Posted in Condemnation Procedures, Eminent Domain, Highest and Best Use, New York, Published Articles, Recent cases, Trial Preparation
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April 29, 2013

NYLJ Article: Condemnors Behaving Badly

Two GRRH partners, Michael Rikon and M. Robert Goldstein, recently published an article in the New York Law Journal titled “Condemnors Behaving Badly.” The focus of the article is on one bad-faith practice often utilized by condemnors in New York: making a pre-vesting offer (as required by law), and then when this offer is rejected as full compensation, filing another appraisal for a lower amount. This is a problem for the claimant because the claimant is being punished for asserting its constitutional right to just compensation. This coercive practice is… read more

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Posted in Condemnation Procedures, Legislation, New York, Offer & Compensation, Published Articles
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