Watchtower's Billion Dollars of Property Cannot Be Sold until Outcome of Conti Appeal

by Dogpatch 171 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  Anony Mous

  Bonding doesn't mean they ONLY have to pay that million though. That means only that they would have to pay 1M to release the lockdown of property sales. The insurance company just insures that if the company disappears (eg. bankruptcy) the debtors still get their payout. It's an extra million they'd probably rather not spend but it's a small price to pay. The question if the insurance company wants to guarantee their debt though is something else. The fact that they've been selling and reducing costs are all the telltale signs of a company in trouble (in the business world), if the insurance company deems it's too big a risk to take (bonding this amount for ~5 years in court given the last 5 years of massive reductions at the WTBTS) they might still not have a solution.

  Off course, we'll have to see where this goes but I'm glad they have been smacked down greatly. It's a small victory but hopefully these cases will spread like gangrene the way Conti imagined it would and the way it has been in the RCC.
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  MinisterAmos

  I'm just gratified in seeing someone tell then "NO'!

  Remember all those "votes" in the Hall? Did you ever hear a "NAY"?
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  MinisterAmos

  Is "that's too much money" even a valid basis for appeal? I'd like to see it get published however.
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  Scott77

  Starting a Civil Appeal An appeal is a proceeding in which a higher court reviews the actions taken by a trial court. Appeals are generally limited to a review of the record from the lower court. Parties cannot introduce new evidence and are limited to what was said and introduced at the original proceeding. Issues not raised at trial cannot be raised in the appeal. The appellate court reviews the lower court's application of the law to the facts as presented at trial. Factual findings by the judge or jury at the trial level are not reversible by the appellate court. The appellate court may only decide if there were errors of law serious enough to prevent a party from having a fair trial, or if there was insufficient evidence at trial to support the lower court's decision. If the trial judge properly applied the laws, and the decision was supported by substantial evidence, the appellate court will not overturn the judge's decision.

  http://www.saclaw.lib.ca.us/pages/civil-appeals.aspx

  I think, its gonna be a bit hard for the Watchtower to win a reversal of jury decision.

  SCOTT77
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  Band on the Run

  No, there are important legal questions. IN fact, there are const'l law issues. The factual decisions of the jury (whether or not Kendrick molested her, the judicial council meeting, the fact that the WT had notice of his behavior) will stand. The appeal will most likely focus on whether the WT had any notice of a duty to disclose the communication, whether or not the communication was privileged, which would bar communication to 3rd parties. I don't know the scope and details. It is abundantly clear there are several questions of law for an appellate court to decide. I can't predict the outcome. If the WT had no legal duty, it does not matter what the jury decided.
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  Farkel

  Win or lose in appeal, the adverse publicity will hurt them more than all the words we can say put together.

  Farkel
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  rebel8

  Great news!
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  Band on the Run

  If they are financially precarious, won't they have to pay more for the bond? With their vast resources, they must have one million. It is amazing how everyone donates without any proof that the money is put to any use. The Vatican refuses to publish its financial figures, too. I was certain the individual mandate would be overturned so perhaps my judgment isn't so great. My hunch is that the WT will win. The general public will remember that a neutral jury found them liable. A few lawyers, esp. Conti's who will get a 1/3 cut, will care about the appeal. This is similar to Unthank's case. The WT may mediate its policies now. Hopefully, all the publicity will encourage legislators to narrow the privilege. From what I've read about pedos, however, they seem to have effective networks. If they know the privilege does not exist, they will stop confessing. People once confessed to cleanse their souls and mediate their behavior. There are dangers. I want the pedos rights protected. When it comes to comparing which group needs the most protection, however, I don't see how any human cannot vote for the children. If someone is to have the benefit of a doubt, let it be the children. 9 years old is so creepy.
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  Scott77

  I think, the Australia case of Unthank is different from Conti case. Compared to the Kangaroos, the United States is particularly hard on Pedos. Mrs Band on the Run is expressing her opinion as an trained attorney or lawyer. By the way, how do we know that the world wide pedos paradise has really filled an appeal? Will that be on the news? Here in Toronto, CA, its business as usual. I think , the 27 million fine is a small price for this hugely wealthy organisation. That bad thing is that, it may set the precedent for other similar pedos cases. They are really afraid of that.

  Scott77
• 

  willyloman

  Interesting thread, even if it got bogged down discussing how much money this will cost the WTS, just speculation. This overlooks the real import of all this: that dubs are going door to door in the face of all this negative publicity and this will have a major effect on individual JWs over time.

  They will run into a few informed householders who hit them over the head with this story. Dubs will talk among themselves and the ones who get better informed will be ashamed which will slow them down, dampen their zeal. Those already doubting - and believe me, there are many thousands in the KH's who have doubts - will have another (more powerful) reason to leave.

  Who knows how many other stories like this are out there? The news of this judgment will have attorneys looking for similar cases to handle (they get a third to half of the $). The more news there is, the more likely other molested dubs will hire a lawyer.

  This was always going to be WT's achilles heel. They are self-righteous and think the laws don't apply to them, so they've flaunted both law and common sense on this issue for, well, forever. Now it's coming back to haunt them.

  As often noted, Karma's a bitch.