that is interesting...I am surprised a lawyer was not standing by waiting for someone to trip.

Probably would have been the case, but all the lawyers were wearing casts and had broken legs.

That certainly can be a big problem.  It is difficult to manage when there are concrete sidewalks and the tree has broken through or grown over.  I think it can be somewhat costly to fix -- and then the tree will grow again etc.  What would be a good fix?

Joan,

I think, in this case, about all they could do, reasonably, would be to remove the roots and maybe that would involve removing the tree.

Unfortunately, large trees and sidewalks don't mix.  Trees need to be in the space between the sidewalk and the street and that space has to be large enough to accommodate the full growth of the tree----not likely with the way streets are designed today.  The answer is smaller, limited growth trees---but that doesn't fit the "look" of trees on a street that people have in their heads:)