Fraud Sufficiently Pled; Six-Year Statute of Limitations Applied
In reversing Supreme Court, the Second Department determined plaintiff had adequately pled a cause of action sounding in fraud and that, therefore, the six-year statute of limitations applied to both the fraud and the related breach of fiduciary duty causes of action. In explaining the pleading requirements for fraud, the Second Department wrote:
To state a cause of action sounding in fraud, a plaintiff must allege that “(1) the defendant made a representation or a material omission of fact which was false and the defendant knew to be false, (2) the misrepresentation was made for the purpose of inducing the plaintiff to rely upon it, (3) there was justifiable reliance on the misrepresentation or material omission, and (4) injury”… . “A cause of action to recover damages for fraudulent concealment requires, in addition to allegations of scienter, reliance and damages, an allegation that the defendant had a duty to disclose material information and that it failed to do so”… .
In assessing a motion pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(7) to dismiss a complaint for failure to state a cause of action, the facts pleaded are accepted as true and the plaintiff is accorded every possible favorable inference … . The court is then to “determine only whether the facts as alleged fit within any cognizable legal theory” … . Pursuant to CPLR 3016(b), a cause of action alleging fraud must be pleaded with particularity so as to inform the defendant of the alleged wrongful conduct and give notice of the allegations the plaintiff intends to prove .. . This pleading requirement “should not be confused with unassailable proof of fraud,” and “may be met when the facts are sufficient to permit a reasonable inference of the alleged conduct.” … . McDonnell v Bradley, 2013 NY Slip Op 05681, 2nd Dept 8-21-13