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A STIPULATIION OF SETTLEMENT DOES NOT IMPOSE A DUTY UPON A PERSON NOT A PARTY TO THE STIPULATION (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined a person who was not a party to the stipulation of settlement in a divorce action (Kamaras) cannot be sued for an alleged violation of the stipulation:

The plaintiff opposed Kamaras’s motion for summary judgment, contending, among other things, that Kamaras knew of the stipulation and its terms and that Kamaras had a “duty” to “have [Chantal] execute the transfer documents to the marital property and return same to [Walner’s counsel].” … .

“‘A stipulation of settlement which is incorporated but not merged into a judgment of divorce is a contract subject to principles of contract construction and interpretation'” … . “It is well-settled law that parties to a contract cannot, under its terms, impose any liability upon a stranger to that contract” … . “One cannot be held liable under a contract to which he or she is not a party” … .

Here, Kamaras demonstrated his entitlement to judgment as a matter of law dismissing the complaint insofar as asserted against him by demonstrating that he was not a party to the stipulation and had not assumed any obligations under the stipulation … . Tema v Tema, 2024 NY Slip Op 02720, Second Dept 5-15-24

Practice Point: Even if a person is aware of the terms of a stipulation of settlement, if that person is not a party to the stipulation, the stipulation does not impose a duty to act on them.

 

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