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PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY’S EMAIL WAS AN ENFORCEABLE STIPULATION OF SETTLEMENT; PLAINTIFF’S SUBSEQUENT REFUSAL TO EXECUTE THE DOCUMENTS WAS A BREACH OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined an email sent by plaintiff’s attorney constituted an enforceable stipulation of settlement, despite the fact that plaintiff subsequently refused to execute the documents:

… [T]he requirements for a valid and enforceable settlement agreement are satisfied here. The email from plaintiff’s lawyer to defendant’s lawyer contained the only two material terms of the agreement, i.e., defendant’s payment of $32,500 to plaintiff in exchange for plaintiff’s release of defendant from further liability; the email plainly manifested the parties’ mutual accord, i.e., “[plaintiff] has informed me that he would like to accept the $32,500 settlement [offered by defendant]”; and the lawyer representing the party to be bound, i.e., plaintiff, explicitly typed his name at the end of the email in a manner akin to a hand-signed letter. Nothing more was required, and plaintiff’s “subsequent refusal to execute form releases and a stipulation of discontinuance did not invalidate the agreement” … . To the contrary, plaintiff’s subsequent refusal to execute the necessary releases and stipulation constituted a breach of the parties’ valid settlement agreement. The court thus erred in denying defendant’s cross motion to enforce the settlement agreement … . Field v Pet Haven, Inc., 2021 NY Slip Op 04450, Fourth Dept 7-16-21

 

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