A local group had planned a parade for tomorrow, but city hall has not yet acted on its application for a permit  The group had applied for the permit well in advance, had made sure their application satisfied all the requirements, and was clearly entitled to a permit  Although the law prohibits parades without a permit, the group plans to proceed with its parade
The group' s leader defended its decision by appealing to the principle that citizens need not refrain from actions that fail to comply with the law if they have made a good-faith effort to comply but are prevented from doing so by government inaction
A real-estate developer obtained a permit to demolish a historic apartment building that had not yet been declared a governmentally protected historic landmark. Despite the protests of citizens' groups, the developer then demolished the building.