THE MOTION COURT ABUSED ITS DISCRETION BY DEEMING PLAINTIFF’S STATEMENT OF MATERIAL FACTS ADMITTED BECAUSE DEFENDANTS DID NOT SUBMIT A COUNTER STATEMENT OF UNDISPUTED FACTS (FOURTH DEPT). ​

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined that defendants’ failure to submit a counter statement of undisputed facts (22 NYCRR 202.8-g[b]) should not have been deemed an admission to plaintiff’s statement of material facts. Therefore plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment on the breach of contract cause of action should not have been granted:

Although the court had discretion under section 202.8-g (former [c]) to deem the assertions in plaintiff’s statement of material facts admitted, it was not required to do so … .  “[B]lind adherence to the procedure set forth in 22 NYCRR 202.8-g” was not mandated … .

Here, considering that plaintiff’s statement of material facts did not fully comply with 22 NYCRR 202.8-g (d) and ignored the pivotal factual dispute arising from discovery, we conclude that, although it would have been better practice for defendants to “submit a paragraph-by-paragraph response to plaintiff’s statement” … , “the court abused its discretion in deeming the entire statement admitted” … . On the Water Prods., LLC v Glynos, 2022 NY Slip Op 07320, Fourth Dept 12-23-22

Practice Point: Here plaintiff submitted a statement of material facts but defendants did not submit a counter statement of undisputed facts. The motion court was not required to deem the statement of material facts admitted and should not have done so under the specific circumstances of this case. Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment in this breach of contract action should not have been granted.