First trial involving East Hampton rental law ends with vindication of tenant

A jury in the East Hampton Town Justice Court last week sided with Settlers Landing resident Jim Henry, who was the first renter to be tried over a law passed in 2015 that requires rental properties to be registered with the town. Henry’s landlord, who is obligated by the law to apply for the registry number, failed to do so because of a serious illness, 27 East reported. Nonetheless, the town pressed charges against Henry, who brought on a longtime critic of the law as his legal representation. “This was my first opportunity to contest this piece of crap in Town Justice Court — and the jury agreed with me that it’s a piece of crap,” lawyer Lawrence Kelly told 27 East. [27East]