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THE PORTION OF THE ARBITRATOR’S AWARD WHICH CONFLICTED WITH THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT AND THE PORTION OF THE AWARD WHICH WAS NONFINAL SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED BY SUPREME COURT (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department determined certain findings made by the arbitrator shouldn’t have been confirmed by Supreme Court. The matter concerned the elimination of teaching positions to accommodate the hiring of teachers’ aides. In one instance the arbitrator’s ruling conflicted with the terms of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA). And in the other instance the arbitrator’s ruling was nonfinal:

An award may be vacated where an arbitrator, “in effect, made a new contract for the parties in contravention of [an] explicit provision of [the] arbitration agreement which denied [the] arbitrator power to alter, add to or detract from” the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) … . …

An award is nonfinal and indefinite if, inter alia, “it leaves the parties unable to determine their rights and obligations” … . Matter of Arbitration Between Buffalo Teachers Fedn., Inc. (Board of Educ. of the Buffalo Pub. Schs.), 2020 NY Slip Op 00794, Fourth Dept 1-31-20

 

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THE WARRANTLESS SEIZURE AND SEARCH OF A BAG IN DEFENDANT’S CAR WAS NOT JUSTIFIED UNDER THE INEVITABLE DISCOVERY DOCTRINE; ERROR HARMLESS HOWEVER (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department determined the inevitable discovery doctrine did not apply to a “diabetes bag” seized by the police. The bag should have been suppressed, but error was deemed harmless:

On the day of his arrest, a police officer pulled defendant’s vehicle over for failing to signal. Defendant had a passenger with him. After approaching the vehicle, the officer observed that defendant appeared to be under the influence of drugs and placed him under arrest. The passenger was also arrested. At a suppression hearing, the officer testified that, after she arrested defendant and seated him in her patrol vehicle, defendant indicated that he had diabetes medication in his vehicle. Defendant did not give the officer permission to retrieve the bag of medication from his vehicle or say that he needed it at that time, nor did he give her permission to open the bag. The officer testified that she retrieved the bag for defendant because defendant would be allowed access to certain medication in lockup; she did not intend to give the bag to defendant while he was in the patrol vehicle. The officer looked in the bag and found needles, “narcotics,” and “some residue”—not diabetes medication. Defendant’s vehicle was subsequently impounded pursuant to Buffalo Police Department (BPD) written policy. During the inventory search of the vehicle, the officers recovered, inter alia, methamphetamine. * * *

We agree with defendant, however, that the court erred in refusing to suppress the evidence obtained from the diabetes bag pursuant to the inevitable discovery doctrine. The contents of the diabetes bag that defendant sought to suppress was the “very evidence” that was obtained as the “immediate consequence of the challenged police conduct” … . People v Hayden-larson, 2020 NY Slip Op 00791, Fourth Dept 1-31-20

 

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FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE HELD A CUSTODY HEARING WITHOUT FATHER’S PARTICIPATION (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Family Court, determined Family Court should have held a custody hearing without father’s participation:

During an appearance at which Family Court specifically stated that it was not “making any findings” and that it would make findings only after a future hearing, the father apparently grew frustrated with the proceedings and walked out of court. As the father was leaving, the court warned him that it would issue a permanent order in his absence. Thereafter, the court proceeded to hold a hearing, take testimony from the mother, and issue its determination on custody and visitation.

“It is axiomatic that custody determinations should [g]enerally be made only after a full and plenary hearing and inquiry . . . This general rule furthers the substantial interest, shared by the State, the children, and the parents, in ensuring that custody proceedings generate a just and enduring result that, above all else, serves the best interest[s] of the child[ren]” … . Indeed, custody determinations “require a careful and comprehensive evaluation of the material facts and circumstances in order to permit the court to ascertain the optimal result for the child. The value of a plenary hearing is particularly pronounced in custody cases in light of the subjective factors—such as the credibility and sincerity of the witnesses, and the character and temperament of the parents—that are often critical to the court’s determination” … . Matter of Williams v Davis, 2020 NY Slip Op 00777, Fourth Dept 1-31-20

 

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THE CHILDREN WISHED TO REMAIN WITH MOTHER BUT CUSTODY WAS AWARDED TO FATHER; THE ATTORNEY FOR THE CHILD AGREED FATHER SHOULD HAVE CUSTODY; MOTHER REQUESTED A LINCOLN HEARING WHICH WAS DENIED; THE DISSENT ARGUED A LINCOLN HEARING SHOULD HAVE BEEN HELD (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department determined custody of the children was properly granted to father, against the children’s wishes.  The attorney for the child (AFC) informed the court of the children’s wishes but supported custody by the father. The mother unsuccessfully argued a Lincoln hearing should have been held. The dissent agreed that a Lincoln hearing was necessary:

The mother further contends that the court erred in declining to conduct a Lincoln hearing. Inasmuch as the AFC expressed the children’s wishes to the court … , the children were both of young age … , and there are indications in the record that they were being coached on what to say to the court … , we perceive no abuse of discretion in the court’s denial of the mother’s request for a Lincoln hearing … . * * *

From the dissent:

While the decision whether to conduct a Lincoln hearing is discretionary, it is ” often the preferable course’ ” to conduct one … . Indeed, a child’s preference, although not determinative, is an “important” factor that provides the court, while considering the potential for influence and the child’s age and maturity, “some indication of what is in the child’s best interests” … . In addition, the in camera testimony of a child may ” on the whole benefit the child by obtaining for the [court] significant pieces of information [it] needs to make the soundest possible decision’ ” … .

In this case, the children were 10 and 7 years old, respectively, at the time of the proceeding, ages at which a child’s “wishes [are] not necessarily entitled to the great weight’ we accord to the preferences of older adolescents . . . [but are], at minimum, entitled to consideration’ ” … . Most importantly, the Attorney for the Children (AFC) substituted his judgment for that of the children and advocated that custody be transferred from the mother to the father, despite the fact that the children had been in the mother’s custody since birth and the fact that the father admitted to having committed an act of domestic violence against the mother. While the AFC did inform the court of the children’s expressed wishes to live with the mother, in my view, the court should have conducted a Lincoln hearing to consider those wishes and the reasons for them. Matter of Muriel v Muriel, 2020 NY Slip Op 00776,  Fourth Dept 1-31-20

 

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THERE SHOULD ONLY BE ONE SORA RISK ASSESSMENT PROCEEDING BASED UPON THE SAME RISK ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT (RAI); HERE THERE WERE TWO ASSESSMENTS IN TWO COUNTIES, ONE AT LEVEL TWO AND ONE AT LEVEL THREE; THE LEVEL THREE RISK ASSESSMENT WAS VACATED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department determined there should not be more than one SORA risk assessment for convictions stemming from the same course of conduct and based upon the same Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI). The first risk assessment was in Allegany County and designated defendant a level two risk. The second risk assessment was in Cattaraugus County and designated defendant a level three risk based upon the evidence. The Cattaraugus County assessment was vacated:

… [D]efendant was convicted in Cattaraugus County Court upon his plea of guilty of attempted sodomy in the second degree and, that same year, he was convicted in Allegany County Court upon his plea of guilty of sexual abuse in the first degree. The convictions stemmed from a course of conduct against one victim that occurred in both jurisdictions. Defendant was sentenced in both cases and, prior to his release from prison, Allegany County Court held a proceeding to determine his risk level designation under the Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA) (Correction Law § 168 et seq.) and designated him a level two risk. Cattaraugus County Court subsequently held a SORA proceeding utilizing a risk assessment instrument (RAI) and case summary that were substantively identical to those used in the Allegany County SORA proceeding, but designated defendant a level three risk. On a prior appeal … , we affirmed the order of Cattaraugus County Court designating him a level three risk.

“Where, as here, a single RAI addressing all relevant conduct is prepared, the goal of assessing the risk posed by the offender is fulfilled by a single SORA adjudication. To hold otherwise—that is, to permit multiple risk level determinations based on conduct included in a single RAI—would result in redundant proceedings and constitute a waste of judicial resources” … . In order to prevent multiple courts from reaching conflicting conclusions based on the same RAI, “one—and only one—sentencing court should render a risk level determination based on all conduct contained in the RAI” … . Inasmuch as the Cattaraugus County SORA proceeding was duplicative, we reverse the order and vacate defendant’s risk level determination  by Cattaraugus County Court … . People v Miller, 2020 NY Slip Op 00766, Fourth Dept 1-31-20

 

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DEFENDANT’S SENTENCE DEEMED TOO HARSH BASED UPON DEFENDANT’S CRIMINAL HISTORY, THE PLEA DEAL DEFENDANT WAS OFFERED BEFORE TRIAL, AND THE ABSENCE OF ANY NEW EVIDENCE REVEALED BY THE TRIAL (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department determined defendant’s sentence was unduly harsh based upon his criminal history and the plea deal defendant was offered before trial:

… [T]he 10-year determinate sentence is unduly harsh and severe considering that defendant has no violent crimes on his record and was offered the opportunity to plead guilty to the charges in the indictment in exchange for a prison sentence of five years. It does not appear that any facts were revealed at trial that were unknown to the People or the court at the time the sentence promise was made. Under the circumstances, we modify the judgment as a matter of discretion in the interest of justice by reducing the sentence on each count to a determinate term of imprisonment of seven years plus three years of postrelease supervision … . People v Green, 2020 NY Slip Op 00765, Fourth Dept 1-31-20

 

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UNRESOLVED QUESTIONS OF FACT CONCERNING WHETHER THE CONSTRUCTION OF A WHOLE FOODS STORE IN THE VICINITY OF A RECREATIONAL TRAIL AND A PUBLIC USE EASEMENT VIOLATES THE PUBLIC TRUST DOCTRINE (FOURTH DEPT). ​

The Fourth Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined petitioner’s violation of the public trust doctrine causes of action should not have been dismissed. The action relates to the construction of a Whole Foods store in the vicinity of a recreational trail and a public use easement:

… [T]he court erred by granting a declaration in favor of respondents on petitioner’s … causes of action … which allege violations of the public trust doctrine, because there are unresolved factual issues concerning the impact of the Whole Foods development on a recreational trail known as the Auburn Trail, including whether the development would require the constructive abandonment of the existing public use easements for that trail ,,, , Matter of Brighton Grassroots, LLC v Town of Brighton, 2020 NY Slip Op 00754, Fourth Dept 1-31-20

 

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APPLICATION TO FILE A LATE CLAIM IN THIS LABOR LAW 240 (1) ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED; CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTING A LATE CLAIM UNDER THE COURT OF CLAIMS ACT DESCRIBED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing the Court of Claims, determined claimant’s application to file a late claim in this Labor Law 240 (1) action should have been granted. The criteria for allowing a late claim under the Court of Claims Act were described in some detail:

Upon our consideration of the six factors outlined in Court of Claims Act § 10 (6), we conclude that the court abused its discretion in denying claimant’s application insofar as claimant sought to assert a cause of action under Labor Law § 240 (1).

Several factors militate against granting claimant’s application. For instance, his excuse for failing to file a timely notice of intent was law office failure, which, as the court determined, is not an acceptable excuse … . Also, as the court noted, claimant has at least “a partial alternate remedy through workers’ compensation” … . With respect to three of the remaining four statutory factors, we agree with the court’s determination that defendant had notice of the essential facts constituting the claim, had an opportunity to investigate the claim and was not prejudiced by the delay … .

The most significant factor, however, is “whether the claim appears to be meritorious” (Court of Claims Act § 10 [6]) inasmuch as “it would be futile to permit the filing of a legally deficient claim which would be subject to immediate dismissal, even if the other factors tend to favor the granting of the request” … .

.. [D]ocumentation submitted by claimant indicates that, as he struggled to remove the window and lower it to the ground, the window allegedly “fell” on him, causing him to sustain injuries to his back.

Claimant’s submissions raise issues of fact whether he was injured by the application of the force of gravity to the window as he was moving it between “a physically significant elevation differential” … . Phillips v State of New York, 2020 NY Slip Op 00753, Fourth Dept 1-31-20

 

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MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ACTIONS REINSTATED AGAINST SEVERAL DEFENDANTS; TWO JUSTICE DISSENT ARGUED THE ACTIONS WERE REINSTATED BASED UPON A NEW THEORY WHICH SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, over a two-justice dissent, reinstated the medical malpractice action against several defendants. The dissent argued that evidence submitted in opposition to defendants’ motion for summary judgment presented a new theory and should have been rejected on that ground. The dissent argued that the new theory was raised for the first time in a “supplemental” bill of particulars which, the majority concluded, had been properly struck by Supreme Court:

… [W]e conclude that the court properly granted the motions to strike plaintiff’s “supplemental” bills of particulars inasmuch as they were actually amended bills of particulars. We further conclude that the amended bills of particulars are “a nullity” inasmuch as the note of issue had been filed and plaintiff failed to seek leave to serve amended bills of particulars before serving them upon defendants … .

From the dissent:

… [P]laintiff’s expert’s opinions on malpractice and causation cannot create a question of fact because they are based on a new condition and new injury. Plaintiff’s expert opined that: plaintiff’s son developed Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP) in the days before presenting to the emergency room and was suffering from HSP when he presented to the emergency room; plaintiff’s son was misdiagnosed and the correct diagnosis was HSP; as a result of the mistriage, plaintiff’s son went into hypovolemic shock; and, if properly triaged, plaintiff’s son’s condition, i.e., HSP, never would have progressed to hypovolemic shock.

Plaintiff’s expert’s opinion regarding failure to triage and diagnose relates to a new condition, HSP, and his opinion on proximate cause relates to a new injury, hypovolemic shock, neither of which were included in plaintiff’s original bill of particulars and both of which were included in the “supplemental” bills of particulars, which this Court unanimously agrees were properly struck. Inasmuch as plaintiff’s expert’s opinions regarding the defendants’ negligence and proximate cause involve a new condition and new injury not included in plaintiff’s original bill of particulars, they constituted a new theory of recovery and thus could not be used to defeat the defendants’ motions … . Jeannette S. v Williot, 2020 NY Slip Op 00743, Fourth Dept 1-31-20

 

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DEFENDANT’S EMPLOYEE WAS NOT ACTING WITHIN THE SCOPE OF HIS EMPLOYMENT WHEN HE ARM-WRESTLED WITH PLAINTIFF; THEREFORE THE EMPLOYER WAS NOT LIABLE FOR THE ALLEGED INJURY TO PLAINTIFF UNDER A RESPONDEAT SUPERIOR THEORY (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined plaintiff’s action against the owner of a defendant strip club for injuries incurred when plaintiff was arm-wrestling with defendant’s employee should have been dismissed. Defendant’s employee was not acting within the scope of his employment and defendant therefore could not be liable under a respondeat superior theory:

… [W]e conclude that defendants met their initial burden on the motion by establishing that the employee’s act of arm wrestling plaintiff was not within the scope of his employment and that plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact in response … . The uncontroverted evidence submitted by defendants demonstrated that, although the employee had various responsibilities at the club, he was not required to entertain the club’s patrons, and he arm wrestled plaintiff out of personal motives unrelated to any of his job responsibilities … . Gehrke v Mustang Sally’s Spirits & Grill, Inc., 2020 NY Slip Op 00741, Fourth Dept 1-31-20

 

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