Autoblog

Judge gives car thief break, thief gives judge's car a break-in

Chris Shunk — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Humor

Stealing cars is (obviously) against the law, and getting caught usually translates into a significant prison term. We're guessing the crime is just a bit stiffer if you're caught attempting to swipe the ride of a judge, especially if you just left her court room.

SF Gate reports that Judge Lillian Sing had just finished giving convicted felon Phillip Bernard a break after he missed some probation requirements when the gentleman walked out of the court room and used a weighted sock to smash a car window in the court parking lot. Of course, it happened to be the judge's vehicle, and Bernard timed his malfeasance so that two police officers just happened to be walking by when the incident occurred. We're guessing the move was either a string of complete stupidity or the 32-year-old homeless man actually wanted to go back to jail.

It should come as no surprise that Bernard is back behind bars and we're guessing the good judge probably won't be so lenient the next time she sees him.

Judge gives car thief break, thief gives judge's car a break-in originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Professor beats traffic ticket with physics paper

Zach Bowman — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

We've never been falsely accused of a traffic violation, having earned every last second of our time before a judge, but when it does happen to us, we'll certainly want to brush up on our physics. Dmitiri Krioukov, a physicist with the University of California, recently pleaded his way out of a fine for rolling through a stop sign using the power of mathematics. Krioukov worked up a four-page physics paper underscoring the differences between linear and angular motion to prove that he could have theoretically come to a complete stop and resumed traveling in the time it took another vehicle to pass between him and the citing officer.

The idea is that perception of speed can be altered depending on one's viewpoint. Since the officer viewed Krioukov from the side and the physicist supposedly came to a complete stop very quickly before accelerating again just as fast, it appeared as if he never stopped at all. Or at least that was the notion. Whether or not the judge believed the professor didn't matter so much as the fact that Krioukov managed to shed some doubt on the accusation. He was declared innocent and spared the $400 fine.

But the story doesn't end there. The physicist left a flaw in his proof, and has invited everyone to see if they can figure it out. From our layman's point of view, it appears Krioukov's Toyota Yaris managed to fall from 22 mph to 0 and vault back up to 22 in the span of three seconds. Must be quite the machine. You can check out the full paper here.

Professor beats traffic ticket with physics paper originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Judge says Chrysler doesn't have to reinstate closed dealers

Chris Shunk — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Chrysler

Chrysler made the difficult (and controversial) decision in 2009 to close 789 dealerships leading up to the automaker's abbreviated bankruptcy. The move helped Chrysler eliminate some redundancies and limit in-brand competition, but many of the dealers who lost their franchises weren't at all pleased with the move.

It didn't take long for many of those dealers to sue Chrysler for the right to stay in business, and the court cases are still being settled in 2012. The Detroit News is reporting that a federal judge has ruled that Chrysler doesn't have to immediately reinstate eight dealers suing for the right to reopen their doors.

The eight dealers are among 82 that received arbitration after the forced closings. Fifty of those dealers were offered arbitration by Chrysler and another 32 retail outlets won arbitration in court. The arbitration didn't give those dealers the rights to re-open immediately, but it does set up boundaries to discuss agreeable terms for reopening.

While Chrysler can probably count this decision as a victory of sorts, the automaker still has 11 more lawsuits from U.S. dealers. So far, only 43 of the 789 dealers have been fully reinstated, and another 14 are still negotiating.

Judge says Chrysler doesn't have to reinstate closed dealers originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PA judge charged with dismissing her own traffic tickets

Zach Bowman — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

We have to imagine it's easier to fight the law and win when you're a judge. Reuters reports Magisterial District Judge Kelly Ballentine of Lancaster, Pennsylvania has been charged with a number of crimes associated with dismissing her own traffic violations. According to Attorney General Linda Kelley, the 43-year-old judge faces charges on conflict of interest, tampering with public records and obstruction of justice.

Ballentine was issued two parking tickets in November 2010 when her BMW was parked illegally in front of her home, followed by a third citation for an out-of-date registration. The judge failed to pay the tickets on time, and summonses were mailed to her home. Ballentine then allegedly went onto the online court system and dismissed the tickets with a waive of her judicial wand.

The judge has since been arraigned and released on a $25,000 bond, though she has not commented on the situation.

PA judge charged with dismissing her own traffic tickets originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infamous Bugatti offshore excursion going to trial for insurance fraud [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:28:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Etc., Government/Legal, Videos, Bugatti, Luxury

It appears the gentleman who piloted his Bugatti Veyron into a Texas lagoon has run into a spot of legal trouble. The insurance company that paid out $2 million for the trashed exotic is calling fraud on the whole scenario, and a federal judge has decided that the claim should go before a jury. Andy House of Lufkin, Texas, originally purchased the Veyron after securing an interest-free $1 million loan from Lloyd Gillespie. Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company alleges House attempted to pay a confidential informant to steal the Bugatti and set it on fire so that he could later claim insurance on the vehicle and double Gillespie's initial investment.

Before that could happen, however, House drove the Veyron into a salt water marsh. Amateur video captured the vehicle calmly exiting the paved surface and splashing down, and House later said that he had swerved to avoid a pelican on the road while trying to pick up a dropped cell phone. The vehicle's owner then left the supercar idling in the salt water for 15 minutes until the vehicle died of its own accord. House claimed that he was being bitten by mosquitos at the time and didn't want to return to the car to turn off the engine.

The insurance company also claims that the collector's car policy House took out on the vehicle doesn't apply in this case since House violated the terms of the policy. Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company claims House put over 1,200 miles on the vehicle in the three weeks he owned it. Hit the jump to check out the video once again.

Continue reading Infamous Bugatti offshore excursion going to trial for insurance fraud [w/video]

Infamous Bugatti offshore excursion going to trial for insurance fraud [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CNN reports Top 10 Muscle Car Stars

Alex Nunez — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GM

CNN Money has published a list of the "Top 10 Muscle Car Stars" as compiled by Kelley Blue Book. Some of the picks are obvious, such as the Hemi 'Cuda convertible, GTO Judge convertible, and the venerable Plymouth Superbird. More of a surprise is the presence of the Ford Torino Talladega, which is labeled as an up-and-comer in the muscle car marketplace. With values currently in the $30,000 range, the Torino is still attainable by those who don't have six-figure budgets to work with.

Also, despite lists like this one, it's always good to remember that one doesn't need a paddle at Barrett-Jackson to get into the game. Local newspapers and weeklies are always a great place to start. Sure, you may not find a concours-level, numbers-matching, rare-engined stunner, but you can find great bargains that are as much or more fun to work on and to drive.

All that said, here's the top 10 list as reported by CNN:

1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible - $2,000,000
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS-454/LS-6 convertible - $369,000
1969 Pontiac GTO "Judge" convertible - $205,200
1964 Shelby Cobra 289 Roadster - $329,100
1969 Dodge Charger R/T-440 hardtop - $170,000
1968 Shelby GT-500-KR convertible - $191,000
1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z-28/SS coupe - $91,700
1970 Oldsmobile 442/W-30 hardtop -$85,960
1970 Plymouth Superbird-440 hardtop - $107,500
1969 Ford Torino-Talladega hardtop - $37,100

Read the whole story for photos and expanded descriptions of the cars listed.

Agree? Disagree? Let's hear what your favorites are in the comments section.

Photo: Alex Nunez

[Source: CNN Money]

CNN reports Top 10 Muscle Car Stars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jun 2006 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Delphi seen improving, given more time by judge

John Neff — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 10:03:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain agreed yesterday to extend Delphi's deadline to submit its reorginization plan from August 5th to February 1st of next year. Judge Drain apparently sees the embattled company as making significant progress with buyouts and the early retirement of thousands of Union employees and will give it more time as long as he sees it travelling down the right path to solvency.

Delphi got some more good news this week as it got past the first of three rounds of approval from the Department of Energy for a fuel cell that could be commercially available by 2011. Part of Delphi's recovery seems to be getting out of the high volume, low profit biz of producing window cranks and other such low ticket items and into the area of high tech components that in the near future will be in high demand.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Delphi seen improving, given more time by judge originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jun 2006 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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