Scores doesn’t score a federal injunction

Yesterday Judge Richard J. Sullivan of the Southern District of New York (USDC) issued an order dismissing a complaint brought by Scores East.   So what is Scores complaining about? It says the New York State Liquor Authority (“SLA”) is trying to yank its liquor license in a way that violates the First Amendment. Specifically, the complaint alleges the [...]

We’ve moved …

… to a new format: WordPress. Though I’m a huge fan of Google, its blog feature was lacking, IMHO. With WordPress I’ll be able to share (i.e., upload) obscure legal decisions without the head-scratching quandry presented by Google’s blogspot. I’ve also streamlined a bit. The new URL is easy: MeetingTheSinLaws.com. Please stay tuned while we re-work this template.

Chilling speech, Un-chilling beer

Last Friday the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals issued this decision. It concerns an Ohio liquor regulation (Rule 52) that bans “nudity” and “sexual activity” in alcohol-licensed establishments. As drafted, Rule 52 prohibits not only nudity in performances having literary, artistic or political value, it bans even “the exposure of any device, costume, or covering [...]

Express [read "pierce"] yourself

Your bling is not you. The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals issued an unpublished decision yesterday concerning a Brevard County “School Board written policy that prohibits the wearing of non-otic pierced jewelry by students in the Brevard County public school system.” What’s that, you ask? It is the county’s school dress code which says: Pierced [...]

Another Georgia town celebrates closing of strip club

This picture will save at least 1,000 words: “Byron City Councilman Michael Chidester applauds as the Cafe Erotica sign falls Friday morning in Byron.” And another 1,000 words: “Jeff Laborg, pastor at Second Baptist Church in Warner Robins, gives a shout and waves a Bible in the air as the Cafe Erotica sign comes down [...]

Crisis averted for famous liquor license(s)

The Bellini cocktail will remain a menu item at Cipriani, where the drink achieved signature status. (You’ll still need $20.95 to buy one, though.) The New York Times reports that the “State Liquor Authority voted 2 to 1 on Wednesday to accept the family’s $500,000 settlement offer, rather than revoke its liquor licenses for more [...]

Today’s wine-shipping decision …

… arrives courtesy of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. In this case the plaintiffs, who are described as “oenophiles who want easier access to wine from small vineyards in other states,” challenged two provisions of Indiana law. These provisions state that wineries inside and outside Indiana may ship to customers, if (a) there is [...]

Reverse Flow

“City owes $85,000 for pulling strip club’s licence,” reports TheSpec.com. According to the article, “[t]he city’s licensing committee pulled the defunct strip club’s licence in July 2006 because of inactivity. The decision, which was upheld by council, quashed plans to reopen the strip joint. At the time, the move was celebrated by councillors as a [...]

Another town buys an adult business

They’re all the rage these days. “A small town in northeast Georgia has bought a strip club, but it’s not planning to get into the adult entertainment business,” reports MSNBC.com here. The town of Lavonia is not alone; other cities have taken the plunge.