Litigation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Litigation
Litigation	12. Litigation In the ordinary course of our business, we are routinely made a defendant in or a party to pending or threatened legal actions or proceedings which, in some cases, seek substantial monetary damages from or other forms of relief against us. In our opinion, after consultation with legal counsel, we believe it unlikely that such actions or proceedings will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. City of New York Notice of Determination By “Notice of Determination” dated September 14, 2010 and August 26, 2011, the City of New York notified us of alleged tax deficiencies in the amount of $13.3 million, including interest and penalties, related to our 2006 through 2008 tax years. The deficiencies relate to our operation of two subsidiaries of Astoria Federal, Fidata Service Corp., or Fidata, and Astoria Federal Mortgage Corp., or AF Mortgage. We disagree with the assertion of the tax deficiencies. Hearings in this matter were held before the New York City Tax Appeals Tribunal, or the NYC Tax Appeals Tribunal, in March and April 2013. The NYC Tax Appeals Tribunal is not expected to render a decision in this matter until the 2014 third quarter. At this time, management believes it is more likely than not that we will succeed in refuting the City of New York’s position, although defense costs may be significant. Accordingly, no liability or reserve has been recognized in our consolidated statement of financial condition at September 30, 2013 with respect to this matter. No assurance can be given as to whether or to what extent we will be required to pay the amount of the tax deficiencies asserted by the City of New York, whether additional tax will be assessed for years subsequent to 2008, that this matter will not be costly to oppose, that this matter will not have an impact on our financial condition or results of operations or that, ultimately, any such impact will not be material. Automated Transactions LLC Litigation In November 2009, an action entitled Automated Transactions LLC v. Astoria Financial Corporation and Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association was commenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, or the Southern District Court, against us by Automated Transactions LLC, alleging patent infringement involving integrated banking and transaction machines, including automated teller machines, or ATMs, that we utilize. The plaintiff sought unspecified monetary damages and an injunction preventing us from continuing to utilize the allegedly infringing machines. In March 2011, the Southern District Court dismissed all claims against Astoria Financial Corporation but denied our motion to dismiss the claims against Astoria Federal for alleged direct patent infringement. In July 2012, we filed a motion for summary judgment for non-infringement based on a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal District affirming the decision of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, or the Delaware District Court, to grant summary judgment in favor of a defendant in an action involving the same plaintiff making substantially similar allegations with respect to identical and substantially similar patents as those involved in the action against us. In April 2013, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation transferred this action to the Delaware District Court to be centralized with other cases involving the same plaintiff and common questions of fact. We settled this litigation, and the case was dismissed with prejudice, pursuant to a stipulation and order of dismissal on September 19, 2013. The settlement was not material to our financial condition or results of operations and will not result in any restrictions or alteration in the use of our ATMs. We intend to continue to pursue our demands for indemnification from the manufacturer and from the transaction processor utilized with respect to the integrated banking machines.

12. Litigation

In the ordinary course of our business, we are routinely made a defendant in or a party to pending or threatened legal actions or proceedings which, in some cases, seek substantial monetary damages from or other forms of relief against us. In our opinion, after consultation with legal counsel, we believe it unlikely that such actions or proceedings will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

City of New York Notice of Determination

By “Notice of Determination” dated September 14, 2010 and August 26, 2011, the City of New York notified us of alleged tax deficiencies in the amount of $13.3 million, including interest and penalties, related to our 2006 through 2008 tax years. The deficiencies relate to our operation of two subsidiaries of Astoria Federal, Fidata Service Corp., or Fidata, and Astoria Federal Mortgage Corp., or AF Mortgage. We disagree with the assertion of the tax deficiencies. Hearings in this matter were held before the New York City Tax Appeals Tribunal, or the NYC Tax Appeals Tribunal, in March and April 2013. The NYC Tax Appeals Tribunal is not expected to render a decision in this matter until the 2014 third quarter. At this time, management believes it is more likely than not that we will succeed in refuting the City of New York’s position, although defense costs may be significant. Accordingly, no liability or reserve has been recognized in our consolidated statement of financial condition at September 30, 2013 with respect to this matter.

No assurance can be given as to whether or to what extent we will be required to pay the amount of the tax deficiencies asserted by the City of New York, whether additional tax will be assessed for years subsequent to 2008, that this matter will not be costly to oppose, that this matter will not have an impact on our financial condition or results of operations or that, ultimately, any such impact will not be material.

Automated Transactions LLC Litigation

In November 2009, an action entitled Automated Transactions LLC v. Astoria Financial Corporation and Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association was commenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, or the Southern District Court, against us by Automated Transactions LLC, alleging patent infringement involving integrated banking and transaction machines, including automated teller machines, or ATMs, that we utilize. The plaintiff sought unspecified monetary damages and an injunction preventing us from continuing to utilize the allegedly infringing machines. In March 2011, the Southern District Court dismissed all claims against Astoria Financial Corporation but denied our motion to dismiss the claims against Astoria Federal for alleged direct patent infringement.

In July 2012, we filed a motion for summary judgment for non-infringement based on a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal District affirming the decision of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, or the Delaware District Court, to grant summary judgment in favor of a defendant in an action involving the same plaintiff making substantially similar allegations with respect to identical and substantially similar patents as those involved in the action against us. In April 2013, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation transferred this action to the Delaware District Court to be centralized with other cases involving the same plaintiff and common questions of fact.

We settled this litigation, and the case was dismissed with prejudice, pursuant to a stipulation and order of dismissal on September 19, 2013. The settlement was not material to our financial condition or results of operations and will not result in any restrictions or alteration in the use of our ATMs. We intend to continue to pursue our demands for indemnification from the manufacturer and from the transaction processor utilized with respect to the integrated banking machines.