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Defendant Cannot Meet Its Burden In a Summary Judgment Motion Solely by Pointing to Proof Problems in the Plaintiff’s Case/Court, Pursuant to Its Power to Search the Record in Determining a Summary Judgment Motion, Cannot Address Claims that Were Not the Subject of the Motion

In a private nuisance action, the Third Department noted that a defendant cannot prevail on a summary judgment motion solely by arguing gaps or proof problems in the plaintiff’s case and the court cannot “search the record” to dismiss claims that were not the subject of the summary judgment motion:

In support of their motions for summary judgment, defendants did nothing more than argue that plaintiffs failed to plead — and ultimately will be unable to prove — compensable damages and, therefore, dismissal of plaintiffs’ first and second causes of action sounding in private nuisance and trespass was warranted. Even assuming, without deciding, that defendants’ assessment of plaintiffs’ pleadings and examination before trial testimony is accurate, the case law makes clear that the moving party must affirmatively demonstrate its entitlement to summary judgment “and does not meet its burden [in this regard merely] by noting gaps in its opponent’s proof” … . * * *

…Although CPLR 3212 (b) — cited by Supreme Court here — indeed permits a court to search the record and grant summary judgment to a nonmoving party, Supreme Court’s authority in this regard extends “only . . . to a cause of action or issue that is the subject of the motions before the court” … . Stated another way, “[a] motion for summary judgment addressed to one claim or defense does not provide a basis for the court to search the record to grant summary judgment on an unrelated claim or defense” … . Schillaci v Sarris, 2014 NY Slip Op 08072, 3rd Dept 11-20-14

 

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