Legally haunted house

“As a matter of law, the house is haunted,” declared the New York Supreme Court majority opinion in Stambovsky v. Ackley and Ellis Real Estate. It was a shocking end to a contentious case after a young family demanded their down payment back, refusing to move into a house they discovered was inhabited by ghosts. The decision still draws attention to this day for its implications for New York home sellers.

CREDITS

Hosted by Ray Tarara

Written & Produced by R.J. Blake and Ray Tarara

Theme Music by Terra Monk

Special guests: 

Cynthia Kavanagh - KTransit

Richard Ellis - Ellis Sothebys Realty

M. Neil Browne - Celebrate Questions

Additional music by: 

Sergey Cheremisinov

Kai Engle

Feslyian Studios


SOURCES

Our Haunted House on the Hudson - By Helen Herdman Ackley - Pub. May 1977 - Reader’s Digest

Stambovsky v. Ackley Legal Brief

Stambovsky v. Ackley - Wikipedia

Phones Ringing (Eerily?) For Nyack Spook Home - By James Barron - Pub. March 20, 1990 - New York Times

Nyack Sketch Log: A Legally Haunted House - By Bill Baston - Pub. October 21, 2014 - Nyack News & Views

A Celebrity Owned New York Mansion Once Declared ‘Legally Haunted’ Is on the Market for $1.9M - By Hannah Chubb - Pub. September 30, 2019 - People

Kavanagh Transit Photos - KTransit

The Legal Environment of Business - Sixth Edition - By Nancy K. Kubasek, Bartley A. Brennan, M. Neil Browne - Pub. 2012 - Amazon.com

Nice To Know A House Is Haunted - By Stephanie Cavanaugh - Pub. April 17, 2010 - Washington Post

Justices of the Court (Historical) - Isreal Rubin - NYCourts.gov