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THE FEDERAL CHILD-PORNOGRAPHY CRIME OF WHICH DEFENDANT WAS CONVICTED WAS BASED ON CONDUCT WHICH HAD NOT BEEN CRIMINALIZED BY A NEW YORK STATUTE AT THE TIME OF DEFENDANT’S CONVICTION; THEREFORE DEFENDANT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADJUDICATED A SEX OFFENDER UNDER SORA (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, vacating Supreme Court’s sex offender adjudication, over an extensive dissent, determined that the federal crime of which defendant was convicted was not encompassed by New York State criminal law at the time of defendant’s conviction. The defendant sent images of adult bodies engaged in sexual conduct with his 16-year-old cousin’s (the victim’s) face superimposed on the images:

Defendant was convicted under 18 USC § 1466A(a)(1)(A) which proscribes images created, adapted or modified to appear as though an identifiable minor is engaging in sexual conduct, otherwise known as “morphed” child pornography. We agree with our dissenting colleague that defendant’s actions were deplorable. Nevertheless, we are constrained to find that this conduct does not give rise to criminal liability under the analogous New York State statute, Penal Law § 263.15, as it existed at the time of [defendant’s] conviction. Therefore, the court erred in adjudicating defendant a sex offender. People v Lewis, 2026 NY Slip Op 01016, First Dept 2-24-26

Practice Point: Here defendant was convicted of a federal child-pornography offense for conduct which was not covered by a New York criminal statute. Therefore defendant could not be adjudicated a sex offender based on the federal conviction.

 

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PURSUANT TO THE HOUSING STABILITY AND TENANT PROTECTION ACT (HSTPA) AND NEW YORK CITY’S RENT STABILIZATION LAW (RSL), THE TENANT WAS ENTITLED TO BUT WAS NEVER OFFERED A RENEWAL LEASE UNDER THE TERMS OF THE PRIOR LEASE SIGNED BY HIS GRANDMOTHER; THE LANDLORD’S HOLDOVER AND EVICTION PETITION SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Appellate Term, determined the landlord’s holdover and eviction petition should have been dismissed. The tenant was entitled to a renewal lease pursuant to the Rent Stabilization Law and the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act (HSTPA). The landlord never provided a renewal lease:

The Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act (HSTPA) was enacted on June 14, 2019 and became effective immediately … . The HSTPA restricts a landlord’s right to withdraw a previously offered preferential rent, even if properly preserved in the lease. Specifically, Rent Stabilization Law § 26-511(c)(14) provides that for “any tenant who . . . is or was entitled to receive a renewal or vacancy lease” as of the date of the HSTPA’s enactment, “the amount of rent for such housing accommodation that may be charged and paid shall be no more than the rent charged to and paid by the tenant prior to that renewal, as adjusted by the most recent applicable guidelines increases and any other increases authorized by law.” … . * * *

Where a landlord fails to offer a renewal lease, the rights under the expiring lease continue to apply (Rent Stabilization Code (9 NYCRR) § 2523.5[d] [“(T)he failure to offer a renewal lease pursuant to this section shall not deprive the tenant of any protections or rights provided by the RSL and this Code and the tenant shall continue to have the same rights as if the expiring lease were still in effect”]). Where a renewal lease is not made in a timely fashion, “courts have repeatedly upheld . . . allowing the renewal lease increase to take effect only prospectively” … .

… [T]he tenant’s succession rights under the prior lease signed by the tenant’s grandmother continued to apply until he was offered a renewal lease on November 7, 2019 after the passage of the HSTPA. As the HSTPA applies to tenant’s succession rights, his cross-motion dismissing the petition should have been granted on the basis that he was entitled to a lease at the amount of rent paid under the prior lease signed by his grandmother (Rent Stabilization Law § 26-511[c][14]). Matter of West Side Marquis LLC v Maldonado, 2026 NY Slip Op 01023, First Dept 2-24-26

Practice Point: Consult this decision for insight into the application of the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act (HSTPA) and NYC’s Rent Stabilization Law (RBL).

 

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THE MORTGAGE DEBT WAS ACCELERATED WHEN THE FIRST FORECLOSURE ACTION WAS BROUGHT IN 2008; THE DEFENDANTS SUBSEQUENTLY ENTERED A LOAN MODIFICATION AGREEMENT IN 2008 WHICH DEACCELERATED THE DEBT AND RESET THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS; THE DEFENDANTS DEFAULTED AGAIN IN 2009; IN 2018 THE DEBT WAS ACCELERATED AGAIN BY THE FILING OF THE INSTANT FORECLOSURE ACTION; BECAUSE THE SIX-YEAR STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS STARTS RUNNING FROM EACH MISSED PAYMENT, THE 2018 FORECLOSURE ACTION WAS TIMELY BROUGHT (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Supreme Court, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Clark, determined the foreclosure action was timely brought. The mortgage was initially accelerated in 2008 when the first foreclosure action was brought. But later in 2008 the defendants entered a loan modification agreement. That agreement validly revoked the acceleration of the debt and reset the statute of limitations. Defendants again defaulted on the mortgage payments in 2009. They argued that the statute of limitations started running upon their 2009 default, rendering the current foreclosure action untimely. The Third Department disagreed, finding that the plaintiff was not obligated to foreclose upon the first missed payment. Rather the plaintiff could wait and accelerate the debt upon any subsequent default, subject to the forfeiture of the right to recover any missed payments which occurred more than six years before the action was brought (each missed payment triggers a six-year statute of limitations):

… [P]laintiff submitted evidence establishing that the 2008 acceleration was validly revoked through the execution of the loan modification agreement, thereby causing the statute of limitations to reset as of that date. Defendants do not dispute that, even after FAPA [Foreclosure Abuse Prevention Act], a validly executed loan modification agreement can reset the statute of limitations period on a previously accelerated loan, so long as the agreement complies with the writing requirements of General Obligations Law § 17-105 (1) … . * * *

Nothing in FAPA or the General Obligations Law changed the basic rule that the statute of limitations runs separately from the due date of each unpaid installment … , or, if the mortgagee elects to accelerate the entire debt, from the date of the acceleration … . * * *

Defendants’ missed payments in 2009 gave plaintiff the right to sue to recover such payments, but did not obligate plaintiff to do so. Instead, plaintiff could wait to exercise its option to accelerate the entire amount of the debt upon any subsequent default, in which case the statute of limitations would run from the date of the acceleration … , subject to forfeiture of the right to recover any missed payments that did not occur within six years prior to the commencement of the foreclosure action … . Ditech Fin. LLC v Temple, 2026 NY Slip Op 00951, Third Dept 2-19-26

Practice Point: A loan modification agreement entered within six years of the 2008 acceleration of the debt deaccelerated the debt and reset the statute of limitations (a scenario not changed by the Foreclosure Abuse Prevention Act [FAPA]).

Practice Point: The six-year foreclosure statute of limitations starts running upon each missed mortgage payment. Here the 2018 foreclosure action was timely because it was brought within six years of a missed payment. Any missed payments which occurred prior to six years before the 2018 foreclosure was commenced were forfeited.

 

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ALTHOUGH DEFENDANT WAS ARRESTED OUTSIDE THE HOME, HE WAS COERCED INTO TO LEAVING BY A SHOW OF FORCE BY THE POLICE; THEREFORE THE WARRANTLESS ARREST VIOLATED PAYTON; WHETHER THE TENANT’S SUBSEQUENT CONSENT TO SEARCH WAS VOLUNTARY WAS DECIDED BY THE APPELLATE DIVISION USING THE WRONG CRITERIA; MATTER REMITTED (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Halligan, over a three-judge dissent, determined (1) the Fourth Department properly held that the warrantless arrest of the defendant outside the home violated Payton (445 US 573) and (2) the Fourth Department used the wrong criteria when it ruled the tenant’s consent to search the premises after defendant’s arrest was voluntary. The case was remitted to the Fourth Department for a ruling on the validity of the consent to search applying the correct criteria:

… Fifteen members of the Monroe County SWAT team and additional uniformed officers arrived at the apartment in an armored vehicle called a BearCat. The SWAT team members wore body armor and camouflage tactical clothing and carried assault rifles. The defendant did not live in the apartment but had been there for approximately 18 hours and stayed overnight the prior evening. An officer admitted that the police chose not to obtain an arrest warrant for the defendant because they wanted to interview him before his right to counsel attached.

A police investigator testified that upon seeing the defendant through the apartment window, he shouted at him to “come on out, house is surrounded . . . come out empty handed and come out with your hands up.” The defendant … exited the building, at which point he was taken into custody. Officers then entered the apartment and ordered the tenant and her cousin to “come out with [their] hands up” and lie face down with “guns to [them].” The tenant testified that she was scared; she and her cousin were handcuffed; and the police separated them and put the tenant into the back of a police patrol car, where she could not see her cousin and remained for approximately five to seven minutes. An officer obtained the tenant’s consent to search. * * *

When officers subject someone to a display of authority that induces them to exit the home under coercion, the sanctity of the home has been invaded to the same extent as if the officers had physically entered. Such a show of force violates Payton and renders an arrest unlawful … . * * *

… [T]he Appellate Division applied an incorrect legal standard in considering the validity of the tenant’s consent. People v Gonzalez (39 NY2d 122, 128-130 [1976]) sets forth the factors that should be considered in determining whether the consent was voluntary. Those include “whether the consenter is in custody or under arrest”; “the circumstances surrounding the custody or arrest,” including whether the person was “confronted by a large number of police agents”; whether the person was handcuffed; “the background of the consenter,” including their age and prior experience with police; “whether the consenter has been . . . evasive or uncooperative with the law enforcement authorities”; and “whether [the person] was advised of [their] right to refuse to consent” … .  The Appellate Division instead recited and applied the factors set forth in People v Borges (69 NY2d 1031, 1033 [1987]), which go to whether voluntary consent was attenuated from an illegal arrest, not whether the consent itself was voluntary. People v Shaw, 2026 NY Slip Op 00961, CtApp 2-19-26

Practice Point: If a person is coerced by the police into leaving his home by a show of force, a warrantless arrest outside the home violates Payton and is illegal.

Practice Point: Consult this opinion for insight into when a consent to search obtained by the police can be considered voluntarily given.

 

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EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION CASES ARE REVIEWED UNDER “NOTICE PLEADING” STANDARDS WHERE ONLY FAIR NOTICE OF THE NATURE OF THE CLAIM AND ITS GROUNDS ARE REQUIRED; HERE PLAINTIFF’S ALLEGATION THAT A SUPERVISOR STATED SHE RECEIVED HIGH EVALUATIONS BECAUSE SHE ENGAGED IN SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH HER SUPERIORS WAS SUFFICIENT TO SURVIVE DISMISSAL (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined that a single remark by a supervisor may sustain an employment discrimination or hostile work environment claim. The court noted the more lenient pleading requirement for employment discrimination actions:

… [E]mployment discrimination cases are generally reviewed under notice pleading standards … . Indeed, a “plaintiff alleging employment discrimination need not plead specific facts establishing a prima facie case of discrimination but need only give fair notice of the nature of the claim and its grounds” … . In an action brought under the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL) and the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL), “[f]air notice is all that is required to survive at the pleading stage” … . * * *

Although a “single, isolated comment” or “stray remark” will not always suffice to sustain a discrimination or hostile work environment claim … , “a single comment that objectifies women being made in circumstances where that comment would, for example, signal views about the role of women in the workplace” could be actionable … . Here, where plaintiff alleged that her supervisor implied that she only received high evaluation scores because she was engaging in sexual relations with higher-ups, the alleged remarks and attendant hostile conduct were more than “petty slights and trivial inconveniences” … . Cummings v City of New York, 2026 NY Slip Op 00972, First Dept 2-19-26

Practice Point: Pleading standards are more lenient in employment discrimination cases. Fair notice of the nature of the claim and its grounds are sufficient to survive dismissal.

 

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ALTHOUGH A JURY TRIAL WAIVER IN A CONTRACT IS NOT ENFORCED WHERE A COUNTERCLAIM ASSERTS FRAUDULENT INDUCEMENT, HERE THE FRAUDULENT-INDUCEMENT COUNTERCLAIM SOUGHT RESCISSION OF THE CONTRACT, EQUITABLE RELIEF WHICH MUST BE TRIED BY THE COURT; THE MOTION TO STRIKE DEFENDANTS’ JURY-TRIAL DEMAND SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing the denial of plaintiff’s motion to strike defendants’ jury demand, determined defendants were not entitled to a jury trial on the counterclaims. Defendants asserted fraudulent inducement and sought rescission of the contract in addition to seeking damages as an alternative. Because rescission in equitable relief, a jury trial is not available:

… [D]efendants are not entitled to a jury trial on their counterclaims. Generally, a party asserting a fraudulent inducement claim may pursue a jury trial, notwithstanding the existence of a jury waiver clause, when that party primarily seeks money damages … . Here, by contrast, defendants’ counterclaims seek rescission of the contract and side letter agreement, with damages only sought in the alternative. As the Court of Appeals has held, “[a]ll issues pertaining to [an] equitable defense and counterclaim, whether matters of fact or law, [are] to be determined by the court under CPLR 4101” … and “[r]escission claims, of course, are equitable in nature” … . Accordingly, defendants’ counterclaims must be tried by the court, not a jury, by virtue of the equitable relief they seek. Penske v National Holding Corp., 2026 NY Slip Op 00978, First Dept 2-19-26

Practice Point: Where a cause of action seeks equitable relief, here rescission of a contract, it must be tried by the court, not a jury, even if damages are demanded in the alternative.

 

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EVEN WHERE EVIDENCE OF AN UNCHARGED CRIME IS “INEXTRICABLY INTERTWINED” WITH THE NARRATIVE OF CHARGED CRIME, IT MAY BE INADMISSIBLE BECAUSE ITS PREJUDICIAL EFFECT OUTWEIGHS ITS PROBATIVE VALUE; HERE THE COMPLAINANT’S TESTIMONY ABOUT A PRIOR UNCHARGED SEX ACT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED (FIRST DEPT).

The Frist Department, reversing the conviction in this sexual abuse prosecution, determined the evidence of a prior sex act with the complainant was much more prejudicial than probative. The evidence was therefore inadmissible:

Prior to the commencement of jury selection for the second trial, the People made a Molineux application to allow the complainant to testify about an alleged prior oral sexual encounter with defendant. The People argued, inter alia, that this evidence was “inextricably intertwined” with the complainant’s testimony as to the charges of sexual abuse, provided relevant background, and put the complainant’s testimony “into a believable context.” Supreme Court granted the People’s motion. The court concluded that the proposed testimony was “inextricably woven [in]to the narrative.” …

Supreme Court erred in granting the People’s Molineux application. Even if the People established some non-propensity basis for introducing this evidence, “the prejudicial nature of that evidence far outweighed any probative value” … . People v Nieves, 2026 NY Slip Op 00979, First Dept 2-19-26

Practice Point: Here in this sexual abuse prosecution, the complainant’s testimony about a prior, uncharged sex act was deemed much more prejudicial than probative. Therefore the testimony was inadmissible, despite the argument that it was “inextricably intertwined” with the narrative of the crime or provided relevant background.

 

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DEFENSE COUNSEL LEFT A PROFFER SESSION MIDWAY THROUGH THE PROCEEDINGS; DURING THE PROFFER SESSION DEFENDANT MADE AN INCRIMINATORY STATEMENT WHICH WAS USED TO IMPEACH HIS CREDIBILITY AT TRIAL; DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO VACATE HIS CONVICTION ON INEFFECTIVE-ASSISTANCE GROUNDS SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant’s motion to vacate his conviction based upon ineffective assistance of counsel should have been granted. Defense counsel left a proffer session midway through the proceedings:

Supreme Court erred in finding that defendant failed to satisfy his burden of establishing that he received ineffective assistance of counsel when his counsel absented himself from a proffer session midway through the session. Absent an express waiver from defendant, counsel had an obligation to be present during the session and to “be alert to, and to avert if he could, the possibility that defendant’s cooperation would hurt rather than help him” … . Under the circumstances, where counsel advanced no sound strategic reason behind his decision to leave the proffer session, his absence deprived defendant of meaningful representation at a critical stage in the proceeding … . Defendant was prejudiced by counsel’s absence, because a statement defendant made during the proffer session implicating himself in the burglaries for which he was ultimately tried and convicted for, was successfully used by the prosecution to impeach defendant’s credibility at the trial … . People v Anonymous, 2026 NY Slip Op 00980, First Dept 2-19-26

Practice Point: A proffer session is a critical stage of a criminal proceedings at which a defendant may incriminate himself. Here defense counsel’s leaving a proffer session midway constituted ineffective assistance warranting vacation of the conviction.

 

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THE COURT OF APPEALS CANNOT REVIEW AN APPELLATE DIVISION’S WEIGHT-OF-THE-EVIDENCE RULING ABSENT THE APPELLATE DIVISION’S MANIFEST FAILURE TO CONSIDER THE ISSUE OR THE APPLICATION OF AN INCORRECT LEGAL STANDARD; NOT THE CASE HERE (CT APP). ​

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Troutman, affirming the Appellate Division, determined the record did not support the appellant’s argument that the Appellate Division failed to consider the weight-of-the-evidence or did so using an incorrect legal principle. Therefore the Court of Appeals could not review the weight of the evidence:

On appeal, the Appellate Division unanimously affirmed the judgment (220 AD3d 1223 [4th Dept 2023]). The Court held that the verdict was not against the weight of the evidence, stating that, “[a]lthough a different verdict would not have been unreasonable,” the jury did not “fail[ ] to give the evidence the weight it should be accorded” … . …

In Baque, we recently clarified the Appellate Division’s role in reviewing the weight of the evidence in a case involving purely circumstantial evidence. In a circumstantial evidence case, the jury must conclude that ” ‘the inference of guilt is the only one that can fairly and reasonably be drawn from the facts, and that the evidence excludes beyond a reasonable doubt every reasonable hypothesis of innocence’ ” (Baque, 43 NY3d at 29 …). Observing that the Appellate Division’s function in conducting a weight review was to “independently assess all of the proof,” we explained that the Appellate Division, like the jury, must conclude that the evidence gives rise to such an inference … . We further reiterated in Baque that this Court has no power to review the Appellate Division’s decision regarding the weight of the evidence unless that Court ” ‘manifestly failed to consider the issue or did so using an incorrect legal principle’ ” … . * * *

Here, the Appellate Division expressly rejected defendant’s weight of the evidence challenge and did so by citing Bleakley and People v Danielson (9 NY3d 342, 349 [2007])—citations that we noted in Baque indicated that the Appellate Division applied the correct legal standard … .

… [W]e assume that the Appellate Division appropriately conducts its weight of the evidence review in a circumstantial evidence case, unless its decision manifestly demonstrates otherwise … . …

… [T]he Appellate Division cited …cases … indicating that the Appellate Division deferred to the jury’s credibility determinations and that it did not view this as an appropriate case in which to substitute its own credibility determinations for that of the jury … . …

In sum, Baque did not alter the longstanding principle that this Court “cannot review a weight of the evidence challenge unless the intermediate appellate court manifestly failed to consider the issue or did so using an incorrect legal principle” … . People v Anderson, 2026 NY Slip Op 00967, CtApp 2-19-26

Practice Point: Consult this opinion for the criteria for a Court-of-Appeals review of an Appellate Division’s weight-of-the-evidence ruling.

 

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THE JUDGE FAILED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE OHIO COURT AFTER LEARNING OF ANOTHER CUSTODY-RELATED PROCEEDING THERE AND FAILED TO CONSIDER WHETHER IT SHOULD EXERCISE TEMPORARY EMERGENCY JURISDICTION BASED ON ALLEGATIONS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN MOTHER’S PETITION (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Family Court, determined the judge committed reversible error by failing to communicate with the Ohio court after learning of another custody-related proceeding there. In addition, the judge failed to consider whether to exercise temporary emergency jurisdiction to protect mother and child. Mother’s custody petition alleged serious domestic violence:

Family Court failed to satisfy the procedural mechanism required by the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (Domestic Relations Law, art 5-A) when a custody-related proceeding is pending in another state. Specifically, after the court became aware of the Ohio proceeding, the record does not reflect that the court attempted to communicate with the Ohio court, which is a reversable error … . * * *

… Family Court failed to comply with the statutory requirement to consider, under the circumstances presented and in light of the serious allegations of domestic violence in the mother’s petition, whether it was necessary to exercise temporary emergency jurisdiction to protect the mother and the child … . Matter of Shelby C.V. v Joshua W.K, 2026 NY Slip Op 01002, First Dept 2-17-26

Practice Point: It is reversible error for a judge to fail to communicate with a court in another jurisdiction after learning of another custody-related proceeding there.

Practice Point: Allegations of domestic violence may trigger the statutory requirement that a judge consider exercising temporary emergency jurisdiction to protect family members.

 

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