In a nutshell, Judge Stanley Ott of Montgomery County Orphans’ Court this morning reaffirmed his own previous decision to allow the Barnes Foundation (already far along in construction) to move to Philadelphia. He said that the persistent litigants who have been trying to halt the move lack standing to bring the case.
In the kicker, Judge Ott also decreed that “some portion” of the Barnes’ legal fees and costs “should be borne by the unsuccessful petitioners.”
You can read the entire decision here.
Will there be an appeal? Comments from the litigants’ lawyers are expected later today. As much as I rue the move, I think that they should probably cut their losses. Like it or not, the decision and the new building are a fait accompli.