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DEFENDANT WAS WEARING A STUN BELT DURING THE TRIAL WITHOUT THE JUDGE’S OR PROSECUTOR’S KNOWLEDGE; THE MAJORITY HELD THIS WAS NOT A MODE OF PROCEEDINGS ERROR; A TWO-JUDGE DISSENT DISAGREED (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, over a two-judge dissent, determined the fact that defendant was wearing a stun belt without the knowledge of the judge or the prosecutor was not a mode of proceedings error. However questions remain about whether defendant received effective assistance of counsel (failure to object) remain and a hearing on the motion to vacate the conviction on that ground is required. The dissent argued the stun-belt-error constituted a mode of proceedings error requiring reversal:

It is undisputed that sheriff officials required defendant to wear a stun belt at trial, that neither the People nor the trial court were aware of that fact, and that defendant failed to preserve any argument concerning the stun belt. Because the trial court did not articulate a particularized need for defendant to wear a stun belt, the use of that restraint was error … . The courts below thus did not abuse their discretion by summarily denying the portion of defendant’s CPL 440.10 motion based on his unpreserved assertion of a Buchanan [13 NY3d 1] error, which could have been raised before the trial court.

The courts below erred by summarily denying the portion of defendant’s motion concerning his ineffective assistance of counsel claim. Given the conceded Buchanan violation, factual issues exist concerning trial counsel’s effectiveness. For instance, County Court should determine if counsel had a legitimate explanation for declining to object. There has been no hearing concerning whether defendant voiced his concerns about wearing the stun belt to his trial attorney as he contends … . Further, defendant submitted evidence in support of his motion which raises factual questions as to whether he consented to wearing the stun belt at trial … . Defendant’s ineffective assistance claim should be decided under the applicable standard … on a full record following a hearing … . People v Bradford, 2023 NY Slip Op 03187, CtApp 6-13-23

Practice Point: Before a defendant is required to wear a stun belt during trial, the judge must explain the reasons on the record. Here neither the judge nor the prosecutor was aware defendant was wearing a stun belt. The majority determined the belt did not constitute a mode of proceedings error. The two-judge dissent disagreed.

 

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THE JUDGE DID NOT CONDUCT THE REQUIRED “SEARCHING INQUIRY” BEFORE ALLOWING DEFENDANT TO PROCEED PRO SE; NEW TRIAL ORDERED (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, reversing defendant’s conviction, in a memorandum decision which did not describe the facts, determined the judge did not conduct a “searching inquiry” before allowing defendant to proceed pro se:

The order of the Appellate Division should be reversed, and a new trial ordered. In contrast to People v Duarte (37 NY3d 1218 [2022]), the trial court here recognized defendant as having unequivocally requested to proceed pro se. However, the court failed to conduct the required “‘searching inquiry’ to ensure that the defendant’s waiver [of the right to counsel] is knowing, intelligent, and voluntary” (People v Silburn, 31 NY3d 144, 150 [2018] … ). People v Holmes, 2023 NY Slip Op 03186, CtApp 6-13-23

Practice Point: When a defendant requests to go ahead with a trial without an attorney, the judge must conduct a “searching inquiry” to determine if the waiver of the right to counsel is knowing, intelligent and voluntary. The failure to do so requires and new trial.

 

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THE COMPLAINT STATED A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENT SUPERVISION OF DEFENDANT INVESTMENT BANK’S EMPLOYEE WHO ALLEGEDLY DEFRAUDED PLAINTIFFS OF $25 MILLION TO COVER THE EMPLOYEE’S LOSSES; THE ARGUMENT THAT PLAINTIFFS COULD NOT SUE THE BANK BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT BANK CUSTOMERS WAS REJECTED (CT APP).

​The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Cannataro, over a two-judge dissent, reversing the appellate division, determined plaintiffs (charitable foundation) stated a cause of action against defendants (investment bank) for negligent supervision of an employee who allegedly defrauded the foundation of $25 million. Plaintiffs were not customers of defendants (investment bank). Rather, plaintiffs were approached by defendants’ employee to invest $25 million, allegedly as part of a fraudulent scheme to cover the employee’s losses. The argument that plaintiffs could not sue because they were not defendants’ customers was rejected by the majority:

… [T]he complaint adequately alleged that defendants were on notice of the employee’s propensity to commit fraud prior to his interactions with plaintiffs and their resulting losses. * * *

When an employer has notice of its employee’s propensity to engage in tortious conduct, yet retains and fails to reasonably supervise such employee, the employer may become liable for injuries thereafter proximately caused by its negligent supervision and retention … . As every Department of the Appellate Division has recognized, a defendant is on notice of an employee’s propensity to engage in tortious conduct when it knows or should know of the employee’s tendency to engage in such conduct … . * * *

… [P]laintiffs were not customers of defendants, as that term is typically understood, but plaintiffs alleged that they were prospective customers who were solicited by [defendants’ employee] to participate in a financing arrangement related to one of defendants’ legitimate business deals, supported by defendants’ genuine documentation and information, which he was given access to by defendants as part of his employment. We hold that these allegations support the existence of a duty on the part of defendants to non-negligently supervise [the employee] for plaintiff’s benefit … . Moore Charitable Found. v PJT Partners, Inc., 2023 NY Slip Op 03185, CtApp 6-13-23

Practice Point: Here the complaint stated a cause of action for negligent supervision against an investment bank based on fraud allegedly committed by a bank employee, even though the plaintiffs were not customers of the bank. The Court of Appeals found a duty to supervise the employee for the plaintiffs’ benefit.

 

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THE FRAUDULENT-CONVEYANCE CAUSES OF ACTION INVOLVED CONNECTICUT PROPERTIES AND WERE TIME-BARRED IN CONNECTICUT; NEW YORK’S BORROWING STATUTE RENDERED THE ACTIONS TIME-BARRED IN NEW YORK (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the fraudulent-conveyances causes of action should have been dismissed as time-barred under New York’s borrowing statute. The properties which were conveyed are in Connecticut and the action is time-barred under Connecticut law:

Plaintiff’s claims are time-barred pursuant to CPLR 202, New York’s borrowing statute. Under CPLR 202, where a nonresident plaintiff asserts causes of action in a New York court, “the claim must be timely under both New York and the jurisdiction where the action accrued” … . “Consequently, . . . it is the shorter of the two states’ statutes of limitations that controls the timeliness of the action” … . For purposes of CPLR 202, “a cause of action accrues at the time and in the place of the injury” and “[w]hen an alleged injury is purely economic, the place of injury is usually where the plaintiff resides and sustains the economic impact of the loss” … .

Here, plaintiff is a resident of Connecticut and alleges only economic injury. Moreover, it does not dispute that, under Connecticut law, where the claims accrued for purposes of the borrowing statute, the statute of limitations for the asserted causes of action has expired (see Conn Gen Stat § 52-552j …). National Auditing Servs. & Consulting, LLC v Assa, 2023 NY Slip Op 03198, First Dept 6-13-23

Practice Point: Causes of action which accrued in another state must be timely under both that state’s and New York’s statutes of limitations.

 

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ELECTRONIC LOGGING DEVICES (ELD’S) WHICH KEEP TRACK OF COMMERCIAL TRUCKERS’ LOCATION, HOURS OF OPERATION AND MILES DO NOT FACILITATE UNREASONABLE SEARCHES; THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY IS HEAVILY REGULATED AND THE ELD’S AIM TO PREVENT DRIVER FATIGUE (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Troutman, determined the electronic logging devices (ELD’s) which record the location, engine hours and mileage of commercial motor vehicles (CMV’s) do not facilitate unreasonable searches, The commercial trucking industry has been regulated for decades to prevent accidents due to drivers’ fatigue and the ELD’s contribute to that end:

Before us is a facial challenge to the constitutionality of New York regulations adopting a rule promulgated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requiring the installation of electronic logging devices in commercial motor vehicles. We hold that the warrantless inspections authorized by the regulations fall within the administrative search exception to the warrant requirement and do not constitute unreasonable searches and seizures under article I, § 12 of the State Constitution. * * *

… [P]etitioners correctly concede that there is a long tradition of commercial trucking being subject to comprehensive regulations. Regulation of commercial trucking, including regulation of “the maximum hours of service for commercial drivers,” extends back more than eighty years both in New York and on the federal level … . Those regulations are in keeping with this State’s “vital and compelling interest in safety on the public highways” … .

CMV operators therefore have “a diminished expectation of privacy in the conduct of that business because of the degree of governmental regulation” … , and “may reasonably be deemed to have relinquished a privacy-based objection” to an “intrusion that will foreseeably occur incident” to applicable regulations … . More particularly, … commercial truck drivers have a diminished expectation of privacy in the location of their vehicles because of their participation in a pervasively regulated industry. Matter of Owner Operator Ind. Drivers Assn., Inc. v New York State Dept. of Transp., 2023 NY Slip Op 03184, CtApp 6-13-23

Practice Point: Electronic Logging Devices (ELD”s) which keep track of the location, hours of operation and mileage of commercial trucks aim to prevent driver fatigue and do not facilitate unreasonable searches.

 

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THE PROOF THAT THE SUBWAY TRACKS WERE USED AS A DANGEROUS INSTRUMENT WAS LEGALLY INSUFFICIENT; DEFENDANT’S ASSAULT SECOND CONVICTION VACATED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, vacating the assault second as a hate crime conviction, determined the proof did not support the theory that the subway tracks were used as a dangerous instrument:

The theory supporting this count was not that defendant intended to use the electrified third rail or a moving train as a dangerous instrument, or acted recklessly, but instead that defendant intended that the victim be injured by striking the tracks, alleged to be a “hard object.” The evidence failed to establish defendant’s intent to use the tracks in that manner. The People’s evidence, including the victim’s testimony and a blurry video, was consistent with the victim merely tripping and falling onto the tracks during an altercation with defendant … . Moreover, even if defendant merely caused the victim to fall on the tracks, that would not establish the specific intent required for this conviction. For similar reasons, we find that the verdict on this count was against the weight of the evidence. People v Ames, 2023 NY Slip Op 03205, First Dept 6-13-23

Practice Point: The proof that the victim tripped and fell onto subway tracks during an altercation did not demonstrate defendant’s intent to use the subway tracks as a dangerous instrument. The assault second conviction was vacated.

 

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IN THIS DEFAMATION ACTION (1) PLAINTIFF WAS DEEMED A LIMITED PUBLIC FIGURE REQUIRING PROOF OF MALICE; (2) SOME STATEMENTS PROTECTED BY LITIGATION PRIVILEGE, QUESTIONS OF FACT WHETHER OTHER STATEMENTS PROTECTED BY PRE-LITIGATION AND FAIR REPORT PRIVILEGES; (3) AMENDMENTS TO THE ANTI-SLAPP STATUTE APPLY ONLY TO CONDUCT AFTER THE AMENDMENTS WENT INTO EFFECT (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Garcia, over a dissent, reversing the appellate division in this defamation action, determined: (1) plaintiff music producer (Gottwald) is a limited public figure who must prove defendant singer-songwriter (Sebert) was motivated by malice when claiming Gottwald raped her; (2) whether 20 alleged statements are subject to the pre-litigation privilege must be determined by the jury; and (3) the amendments to the anti-SLAPP statute which went into effect during the course of the lawsuit apply only to conduct after the amendments went into effect (the amendments allow certain damages and attorney’s fees). The opinion is far to comprehensive to fairly summarize here:

[Re: plaintiff’s public-figure status:] By 2014, when Gottwald initiated this defamation action, he was, by his own account, a celebrity—an acclaimed music producer who had achieved enormous success in a high-profile career. As self-described in the complaint, he “has written the most Number One songs of any songwriter ever” and “was named by Billboard as one of the top ten producers of the decade in 2009.” … . * * *

[Re: privilege:] Sebert identifies 25 allegedly defamatory statements that she contends cannot serve as the basis for liability because they are protected by one or more of three privileges: the litigation privilege, the pre-litigation privilege, and the statutory fair report privilege under Civil Rights Law § 74.  * * * We agree that questions of fact exist as to the application of the pre-litigation and fair report privileges—those issues must go to a jury—but disagree as to application of the absolute litigation privilege. * * * Because … five statements fall squarely within the purview of the absolute litigation privilege, they ” ‘cannot serve as the basis for the imposition of liability in a defamation action’ ” … . * * *

[Re: anti-SLAPP statute:] Because Gottwald’s liability attached, if at all, when he chose to continue the defamation suit after the effective date of the statute, any potential calculation of attorney’s fees or other damages begins at the statute’s effective date …”. Gottwald v Sebert, 2023 NY Slip Op 03183, CtApp 6-13-23

​Practice Point: In this defamation opinion, the concepts of “limited public figure,” “litigation, pre-litigation and fair report privilege.” and the application of the amendments to the anti-SLAPP statute are discussed in great detail.

 

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THE WAIVER OF APPEAL WAS INVALID BECAUSE THE JUDGE STATED THE WAIVER WAS AN ABSOLUTE BAR TO AN APPEAL (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department determined defendant’s waiver of appeal was invalid:

… [D]efendant’s waiver of the right to appeal is invalid because County Court’s oral colloquy mischaracterized it as an “absolute bar” to the taking of an appeal … . …

Furthermore, the written waiver executed by defendant did not contain any clarifying language to correct deficiencies in the oral colloquy. Rather, it perpetuated the oral colloquy’s mischaracterization of the waiver of the right to appeal as an absolute bar to the taking of a first-tier direct appeal and even stated that the rights defendant was waiving included the “right to have an attorney appointed” if she could not afford one and the “right to submit a brief and argue before an appellate court issues relating to [her] sentence and conviction” … . People v Shea’Honnie D., 2023 NY Slip Op 03137, Fourth Dept 6-9-23

Practice Point: A waiver of appeal is not absolute and the judge’s characterizing a waiver as absolute invalidates it.

 

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IN A SIDEWALK SLIP AND FALL CASE AGAINST A MUNICIPALITY, VERBAL NOTICE OF THE DEFECT, EVEN IF REDUCED TO WRITING, DOES NOT SATISFY THE WRITTEN NOTICE REQUIREMENT (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court in this sidewalk slip and fall case, determined the defendant city demonstrated it did not have written notice of the sidewalk defect and rejected the allegation that the city had verbal notice that may have been reduced to writing:

… [P]laintiff and the cross-claim defendants never contested the City’s “proof that it had not received prior written notice of the defect, asserting, instead, that such notice was unnecessary” because the City had actual notice … . However, “it is well settled that verbal or telephonic communications to a municipal body, even if reduced to writing, do not satisfy a prior written notice requirement” … . Runge v City of N. Tonawanda, 2023 NY Slip Op 03123, Fourth Dept 6-9-23

Practice Point: In a sidewalk slip and fall case against a municipality, verbal notice of the defect, even if reduced to writing, does not satisfy the written notice requirement.

 

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​ A SUBCONTRACTOR’S DAMAGES FOR CONSTRUCTION DELAY CANNOT BE PROVEN BY COMPARING ACTUAL COSTS TO THE BID PRICE (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the subcontractor (Frey) did not submit sufficient proof of damages caused by construction delays:

… [W]here a subcontractor is claiming delay damages, the subcontractor “must establish the extent to which its costs were increased by the improper acts because its recovery will be limited to damages actually sustained” … . “[I]t has repeatedly been held improper to prove excess labor costs by comparing the total labor costs for the project with the bid estimate for the labor, because of[, among other things,] the inherent unreliability of the price elements of a bid” … . LPCiminelli, Inc. v JPW Structural Contr., Inc., 2023 NY Slip Op 03112, Fourth Dept 6-9-23

Practice Point: A subcontractor’s damages for construction delay cannot be proven by comparing actual costs to the bid price.

 

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