An appeal by Laura Friedman and Anthony Villano to overturn their eviction from Cobb’s Mill Inn was dismissed by the Connecticut Appellate Court on November 20.

The Court ruled that the appeal was moot, because the defendants — Ms. Friedman and Mr. Villano — “are no longer in possession of the premises.” The eviction had been executed by a State Marshal on October 27.

The eviction had been ordered on July 21 by Superior Court Judge Sheila Ozalis, but an automatic stay went into effect pending appeal.

On October 20, after inspecting the heavily damaged property, Judge Ozalis lifted the stay, ruling that the appeal was filed only for the purposes of delay and that “if the stay is not lifted, the building will be permanently destroyed.”

On November 21, Judge Ozalis granted an extension of one day — to Saturday, November 25 — for Ms. Friedman and Mr. Villano to remove their personal possessions from Cobb’s Mill Inn.

The two and their former attorneys still face a contempt hearing, primarily for defying the court’s order to withdraw four liens filed by Ms. Friedman and Mr. Villano on the property from May of 2021 to June of 2022. In July, Judge Ozalis found those liens to be fraudulent.

On November 13, the judge declared the liens invalid and ordered that their discharge be recorded on Weston land records and with the Secretary of the State.

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