Reuters:

A U.S. appeals court gave Apple Inc a reprieve from an external monitor appointed to oversee its compliance with antitrust laws after the company had been found liable last July for conspiring to raise e-book prices.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York on Tuesday granted Apple a hearing on whether to stop the monitor, Michael Bromwich, from doing his job while the company pursues a formal appeal, which could last several months.

It seems to me that if you’re going to appoint one of your friends to do a job, he should:

1. Actually know how to do the job in question instead of needing someone to explain it to him.
2. Not charge exorbitant rates.
3. Not vastly exceed his purview.

You might get away with some combination of a few of those factors but all of them?