Distinction without a difference

Being hauled before a Kanga-Kafka court for no discernible reason (other than, perhaps, the padding of blight inspection statistics) doesn't really amount to "more courteous" treatment even if they don't yell at you as much.

One cited citizen showed up to testify that not only were renovations under way at the house in question, but he no longer even owned it, having sold the place 10 months ago. Fearing he’d be fined anyway, he brought along photographs documenting the new owner’s rehab work.

Another property owner came in wondering why his $400,000, fully-tenanted house had been cited. Was it because his renters were messy? The case manager scratched her head as she looked at photos snapped by the city’s inspector. Wasn’t that a television in one of them – a television in a house that was supposed to be empty? And the code violation? Good question.