Posts by Corney

16

Help needed - sources on sale if Watchtower properties to religious organizations

by closed in

could you, please, help with finding sources.

i need a list of kingdom halls, bethel's or just any properties sold by the watchtower to religious or political organisation.

it would be the best if it was on one of official jw websites.

Corney

A Kingdom Hall in the Bronx (959 Cauldwell Avenue aka 606 East 164th Street) was sold this September to the Haitian Baptist Community Church for $1,010,000; the asking price was $1,300,000.

Sources:

https://www.globest.com/2019/09/09/cushman-wakefield-arranges-bronx-church-sale/?slreturn=20190926165057

https://web.archive.org/web/20191027094734/https://falkon-listings.s3.amazonaws.com/listing_2205/606%20East%20164th%20Street%20-%20Setup.pdf

In the same month, a KH in Nashport, OH was sold to the Freedomcity Church for $164K:

http://www.muskingumcountyauditor.org/Data.aspx?ParcelID=44-46-02-60-000

https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/news/local/2019/10/04/public-record-muskingum-county-real-estate-transfers/3824694002/

Source

Another recent sales:

494 Milford Point Rd, Milford, CT sold by JW Congregation Support to French Speaking Baptist for $400,000 - https://www.milfordmirror.com/news/article/French-Speaking-Baptist-Church-moves-into-former-14419886.php

160 Ferry Rd, Flemington, NJ sold by JW Congregation Support to Iglesia Refugio for $313000 - https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/marketplace/real-estate/2019/08/18/central-jersey-home-sales-aug-18-edition/1931959001/

23

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Appeal by Jehovah’s Witnesses

by annihilator in

u.s. supreme court rejects appeal by jehovah’s witnesses of 2015 california trial court ordersan diego, ca, october 24, 2019 --(pr.com)-- on october 7, 2019, the u.s. supreme court rejected the petition for writ of certiorari filed by the watchtower bible and tract society of new york, inc. (“watchtower”), requesting that the supreme court review a case filed by the zalkin law firm in 2013. in the case of jw v. watchtower bible and tract society of new york, inc. et.

al., the riverside superior court of california awarded the plaintiff, “j.w.,” a judgment of $4,016,152.39 plus interest at 10% per year after terminating watchtower’s defense, because it refused to obey the court’s order to produce files of known child molesters within the jw organization.

in 2018, the fourth district court of appeal in california upheld that decision.

Corney

First, the case documents are available on the Court's site ((1) Petition + lower courts' decisions, annexed; (2) Brief of respondent J. W., a Minor in opposition; (3) Reply of petitioner Watchtower NY).

blondie, careful,

The case you're referring to (the Padron case) was settled twenty months ago.

In this case a judge punished the Watchtower for refusal to produce certain documents (files received by it in response to the 1997 BOE letter) by entering default judgment against them and awarding a plaintiff $4 million without trial. An appellate court affirmed that ruling thus creating a pretty dangerous (for the org) precedent.

smiddy3,

Mere filing of a petition doesn't stay or suspend execution of appealed decisions. This petition didn't "delay a judgment". And since the Watchtower posted a $6,024,228.58 appeal bond on August 15, 2016, the compensation has likely been paid months ago, probably shortly after the appellate court issued its judgment on December 10, 2018

I don't know the exact reason why this petition was filed. Maybe they really tried to overturn the precedent established by a Californian court, or maybe it's just their modus operandi to appeal negative rulings as far as possible - to the best of my knowledge, this case is the first and the only CSA case lost by WT which hasn't eventually been settled.

42

Elders accused of playing rape tape to victim, 15; case goes to Utah Sup. Court

by Corney in

a woman is suing a local congregation ("kingdom hall of jehovah’s witnesses, roy, utah, an unincorporated association"), individual elders and watchtower ny after, she claims, a judicial committee forced her to listen an audio recording of her own rape.

the trial court summarized the facts as alleged by the plaintiff as follows:.

at the time of the judicial committee, plaintiff was fifteen years old.

Corney

Just for the record.

The audio of the hearing in this case held before the Utah Court of Appeals (an intermediate appellate court) in January is available on Youtube (begins on 1:09:05): https://youtu.be/pW35u2WqCcE?t=4144

3

Lorterdan properties v. Watchtower court ruling about Ramapo property

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

i found this court ruling about the ramapo property.

is this the same were now the audio / video / digital content location is to be build?.

https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/new-york/nysdce/7:2011cv03656/379925/39/.

Corney

Gorbatchov,

As to the ruling, it's an intermediate decision striking out some Lorterdan's claims and Watchtower's counterclaims while allowing others to proceed. The case was eventually settled under undisclosed terms.

4

Correspondence between GB and US Branch re WHQ relocation (2005-11)

by Corney in

seven years ago multiple letters between the governing body and the us branch committee, as well as internal memos and e-mails were provided by watchtower to a us dictrict court in the course of discovery in the ramapo property case.

these documents are public records available through pacer, and now they are available for free on the case page here: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5373802/lorterdan-properties-at-ramapo-i-llc-v-watchtower-bible-and-tract/ (see document no.

45 and attachments).i have also compiled all the internal documents in chronological order here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15q-1_cylhxgesb0z4pkr5fjohz7u_y-p/view?usp=sharing 124 pages is a minuscule part of their archives but i hope somebody will find these documents interesting..

Corney

If nothing else, it seems the GB are very hands on dealing with the property side of the business, judging by this evidence, their organisational spiritual/legal separation of the GB from Watchtower in 2000 notwithstanding,

Exactly.

Also, the documents show Watchtower planned WHQ relocation as early as 2005 (don't know whether this info is new).

As to their reorganizations, there is another funny GB letter in this regard: "Also, in view of the privacy law’s express exemption of ‘small businesses’... we wonder if the formation of a new legal entity that would supervise religious activities only, but would receive little if any income, might come within the statutory exemption with respect to any judicial or other personal records it would keep. (Mark 12:17; Romans 13:1, 7)" (the Australian Branch was pretty skeptical about this idea).

I'm also curious if other court records contain similar internal WT documents.

25

U.S. Supreme Court Denies Watchtower’s Certiorari Plea

by Jerome56 in

https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/19-40.html.

.

Corney

Slidin Fast,

This was the case where WT clocked up enormous daily fines and lost the case but still did not disclose.

No, this was the case where the judge awarded the plaintiff $4 million without trial because of Watchtower's refusal to provide files received by it in response to the 1997 BOE letter. The appellate court affirmed that ruling creating a very dangerous precedent for the org.

It seems to me to be a very big victory.

IMO, it's not very big but still significant. On the one hand, SCOTUS denial of certiorari doesn't create any precedent and doesn't mean the Court affirms lower courts' decisions - it just doesn't review them. On the other hand, Watchtower has lost its first attempt to bring a child sexual abuse case (and now apparently the first CSA case lost by WT which hasn't eventually been settled) to the US Supreme Court and the Court won't disturb the precedent established by the CA appellate court.

It leaves WT no where to go in its fight not disclose the child molestation records.

No, Watchtower is still continuing this fight. For example, they've orchestrated a lawsuit of a group of JWs (three victims, three victims' relatives, including an individual "accused of, investigated for, and exonerated of, sexual abuse of his daughter," and one elder) requiring annulment of a discovery order issued in Orange County, CA as violating their "privacy rights and religious freedoms" (now pending before a CA appellate court).

4

Correspondence between GB and US Branch re WHQ relocation (2005-11)

by Corney in

seven years ago multiple letters between the governing body and the us branch committee, as well as internal memos and e-mails were provided by watchtower to a us dictrict court in the course of discovery in the ramapo property case.

these documents are public records available through pacer, and now they are available for free on the case page here: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5373802/lorterdan-properties-at-ramapo-i-llc-v-watchtower-bible-and-tract/ (see document no.

45 and attachments).i have also compiled all the internal documents in chronological order here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15q-1_cylhxgesb0z4pkr5fjohz7u_y-p/view?usp=sharing 124 pages is a minuscule part of their archives but i hope somebody will find these documents interesting..

Corney

Seven years ago multiple letters between the Governing Body and the US Branch Committee, as well as internal memos and e-mails were provided by Watchtower to a US dictrict court in the course of discovery in the Ramapo property case. These documents are public records available through PACER, and now they are available for free on the case page here: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5373802/lorterdan-properties-at-ramapo-i-llc-v-watchtower-bible-and-tract/ (see Document no. 45 and attachments).

I have also compiled all the internal documents in chronological order here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15Q-1_CYlHxGeSB0z4PKr5FJohZ7u_Y-p/view?usp=sharing

124 pages is a minuscule part of their archives but I hope somebody will find these documents interesting.

32

READ: Watchtower's SCOTUS petition

by Corney in

on june 25, 2019 watchtower ny filed petition for a writ of certiorari in the u.s. supreme court.

the society asks to reconsider a $4 million judgment against it in a california child abuse case.

docket: https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/19-40.html .

Corney

Eustace, this petition had nothing to do with the Conti case.

32

READ: Watchtower's SCOTUS petition

by Corney in

on june 25, 2019 watchtower ny filed petition for a writ of certiorari in the u.s. supreme court.

the society asks to reconsider a $4 million judgment against it in a california child abuse case.

docket: https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/19-40.html .

Corney

By an order (see p. 42) published 30 minutes ago, the U.S. Supreme Court has DENIED Watchtower's petition.

51

Annual Mtg Points

by ZindagiNaMilegiDobaara in

jw
friends

matt 28: 19 is the year text.

new understanding on joel ch 2 who are the locusts?.

there is a new building addition to warwick in the works.

Corney

Yes, it's a printed study edition of the NWT (Matthew - Acts)

More photos here