You are here: / COURT SHOULD HAVE INQUIRED FURTHER WHEN DEFENDANT INDICATED IN HIS PLEA...

Search Results

/

COURT SHOULD HAVE INQUIRED FURTHER WHEN DEFENDANT INDICATED IN HIS PLEA COLLOQUY THAT HE ACTED IN SELF-DEFENSE, CONVICTION BY GUILTY PLEA REVERSED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing defendant’s conviction by guilty plea, determined that the court should have inquired further when defendant indicated in the plea colloquy that he acted in self-defense:

The defendant pleaded guilty to assault in the second degree and assault in the third degree. During the plea proceeding, however, he insisted that the complainant had pulled a gun on him, and that he had attacked the complainant in self-defense. The County Court did not ask the defendant any questions about a possible justification defense.

When a “defendant’s recitation of the facts underlying the crime pleaded to clearly casts significant doubt upon the defendant’s guilt or otherwise calls into question the voluntariness of the plea,” the court has a duty to inquire further in order to make sure that the defendant understands the nature of the charge and that the plea has been intelligently entered… . This includes situations where the defendant’s allocution suggests the existence of a possible defense … . Where the court failed in its duty to inquire further, a defendant may raise a claim regarding the validity of the plea even without having moved to withdraw the plea … .

In this case, as the defendant contends and the People correctly concede, the County Court’s failure to inquire into the validity of the plea after the defendant’s allocution raised the possibility of a justification defense requires reversal of the judgment of conviction … . People v Williams, 2018 NY Slip Op 05711, Second Dept 8-8-18

CRIMINAL LAW (COURT SHOULD HAVE INQUIRED FURTHER WHEN DEFENDANT INDICATED IN HIS PLEA COLLOQUY THAT HE ACTED IN SELF-DEFENSE, CONVICTION BY GUILTY PLEA REVERSED (SECOND DEPT))/PLEA COLLOQUY  (COURT SHOULD HAVE INQUIRED FURTHER WHEN DEFENDANT INDICATED IN HIS PLEA COLLOQUY THAT HE ACTED IN SELF-DEFENSE, CONVICTION BY GUILTY PLEA REVERSED (SECOND DEPT))/GUILTY PLEA (COURT SHOULD HAVE INQUIRED FURTHER WHEN DEFENDANT INDICATED IN HIS PLEA COLLOQUY THAT HE ACTED IN SELF-DEFENSE, CONVICTION BY GUILTY PLEA REVERSED (SECOND DEPT))

/ , ,

CONVICTION OF ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE BASED UPON THE ACQUITTALS ON THE REMAINING 27 COUNTS OF CRIMINAL SEXUAL ACT, COURT CANNOT CONSIDER DEFENDANT’S ALTERNATIVE ARGUMENT FOR AFFIRMANCE ON AN APPEAL BROUGHT BY THE PEOPLE (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant’s conviction of endangering the welfare of a child should not have been set aside based upon his acquittal on all 27 counts of criminal sexual act involving a 10-year-old child. Because the appeal was brought by the People, the court was statutorily prohibited from considering defendant’s argument that the indictment was jurisdictionally defective:

The Court of Appeals has held that a factual inconsistency in the verdict does not render “the record evidence legally insufficient to support the conviction” … . “Where a jury verdict is not repugnant, it is imprudent to speculate concerning the factual determinations that underlay the verdict because what might appear to be an irrational verdict may actually constitute a jury’s permissible exercise of mercy or leniency” … . Thus, in this case, the acquittals of the criminal sexual act and sexual abuse counts did not render the evidence legally insufficient to support the conviction of endangering the welfare of a child … .

Although the Court of Appeals has noted that reviewing courts may consider jury acquittals “in some instances on legal issues such as the sufficiency of the evidence or errors in the admissibility of evidence” … , such consideration is appropriate to the extent that the acquittal provides information about the basis of, or the theory underlying, the jury’s finding of guilt on another count … . With this understanding of the basis or theory of the conviction on that other count, the court may then determine whether there was legally sufficient evidence to support that conviction … . That determination is based on an independent review of the evidence presented at trial, and is not controlled by the jury’s acquittal on the other charge … . People v Sturges, 2018 NY Slip Op 05703, Second Dept 8-8-18

CRIMINAL LAW (CONVICTION OF ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE BASED UPON THE ACQUITTALS ON THE REMAINING 27 COUNTS OF CRIMINAL SEXUAL ACT, COURT CANNOT CONSIDER DEFENDANT’S ALTERNATIVE ARGUMENT FOR AFFIRMANCE ON AN APPEAL BROUGHT BY THE PEOPLE (SECOND DEPT))/EVIDENCE (CRIMINAL LAW, CONVICTION OF ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE BASED UPON THE ACQUITTALS ON THE REMAINING 27 COUNTS OF CRIMINAL SEXUAL ACT, COURT CANNOT CONSIDER DEFENDANT’S ALTERNATIVE ARGUMENT FOR AFFIRMANCE ON AN APPEAL BROUGHT BY THE PEOPLE (SECOND DEPT))/ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD (CONVICTION OF ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE BASED UPON THE ACQUITTALS ON THE REMAINING 27 COUNTS OF CRIMINAL SEXUAL ACT, COURT CANNOT CONSIDER DEFENDANT’S ALTERNATIVE ARGUMENT FOR AFFIRMANCE ON AN APPEAL BROUGHT BY THE PEOPLE (SECOND DEPT))/APPEALS (CRIMINAL LAW, PEOPLE’S APPEAL, COURT CANNOT CONSIDER DEFENDANT’S ALTERNATIVE ARGUMENT FOR AFFIRMANCE ON AN APPEAL BROUGHT BY THE PEOPLE (SECOND DEPT)

/ ,

EVIDENCE DEFENDANT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONVICTED OF STEALING A CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED TO SHOW KNOWLEDGE AND INTENT IN THIS CAR THEFT CASE, KNOWLEDGE AND INTENT CAN BE INFERRED FROM THE ACT, ERROR HARMLESS HOWEVER (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department noted that evidence of a prior conviction of criminal possession of stolen property (a car) should not have been admitted as Molineux evidence to show knowledge and intent in this prosecution for the same genre of offense. Knowledge and intent can be inferred from possession of the car, which was taken by force. There error was deemed harmless however:

The Supreme Court should not have admitted, over objection, evidence of the defendant’s 2009 conviction for criminal possession of stolen property, including the underlying fact that the stolen property was a motor vehicle, to demonstrate knowledge and intent to steal the vehicle … . Here, the defendant’s knowledge and intent could easily be inferred from his possession of the subject vehicle, which was procured by force. “Generally, [e]vidence of prior criminal acts to prove intent will often be unnecessary, and therefore should be precluded even though marginally relevant, where intent may be easily inferred from the commission of the act itself'” … . However, as there was overwhelming evidence of the defendant’s guilt, which included his statements to law enforcement authorities and the fact that he and his companion assumed possession of the vehicle, and no significant probability that the error contributed to the defendant’s conviction, the error was harmless … . People v Sands, 2018 NY Slip Op 05701, Second Dept 8-8-18

CRIMINAL LAW (EVIDENCE, MOLINEUX, EVIDENCE DEFENDANT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONVICTED OF STEALING A CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED TO SHOW KNOWLEDGE AND INTENT IN THIS CAR THEFT CASE, KNOWLEDGE AND INTENT CAN BE INFERRED FROM THE ACT, ERROR HARMLESS HOWEVER (SECOND DEPT))/EVIDENCE (CRIMINAL LAW, MOLINEUX,  EVIDENCE DEFENDANT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONVICTED OF STEALING A CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED TO SHOW KNOWLEDGE AND INTENT IN THIS CAR THEFT CASE, KNOWLEDGE AND INTENT CAN BE INFERRED FROM THE ACT, ERROR HARMLESS HOWEVER (SECOND DEPT))/MOLINEUX (CRIMINAL LAW, EVIDENCE DEFENDANT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONVICTED OF STEALING A CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED TO SHOW KNOWLEDGE AND INTENT IN THIS CAR THEFT CASE, KNOWLEDGE AND INTENT CAN BE INFERRED FROM THE ACT, ERROR HARMLESS HOWEVER (SECOND DEPT))

/ ,

RELEASE ENTERED WITH THE INSURER OF THE OTHER CAR INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT PRECLUDED CLAIM FOR SUPPLEMENTARY UNDERINSURED MOTORIST (SUM) BENEFITS AGAINST INSURER OF THE CAR IN WHICH APPELLANT WAS A PASSENGER (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined a release entered after settlement with the insurer of the other car involved in the accident precluded appellant’s attempt to claim supplementary underinsured motorist (SUM) benefits from the insurer of the car in which appellant was a passenger:

“A release is a contract, and its construction is governed by contract law” … . A valid general release will apply not only to known claims, but “may encompass unknown claims, . . . if the parties so intend and the agreement is fairly and knowingly made'” … . “Where a release is unambiguous, the intent of the parties must be ascertained from the plain language of the agreement” … . Here, the general release, in clear and unambiguous terms, releases all claims and future claims the appellant had or may have against the petitioner by reason of the subject accident. The plain language of the release thus precludes the appellant’s SUM claim against the petitioner. Matter of Travelers Home & Mar. Ins. Co. v Fiumara, 2018 NY Slip Op 05681, Second Dept 8-8-18

INSURANCE LAW (RELEASE ENTERED WITH THE INSURER OF THE OTHER CAR INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT PRECLUDED CLAIM FOR SUPPLEMENTARY UNDERINSURED MOTORIST (SUM) BENEFITS AGAINST INSURER OF THE CAR IN WHICH APPELLANT WAS A PASSENGER (SECOND DEPT))/TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS (INSURANCE LAW, RELEASE ENTERED WITH THE INSURER OF THE OTHER CAR INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT PRECLUDED CLAIM FOR SUPPLEMENTARY UNDERINSURED MOTORIST (SUM) BENEFITS AGAINST INSURER OF THE CAR IN WHICH APPELLANT WAS A PASSENGER (SECOND DEPT))/RELEASE (INSURANCE LAW, RELEASE ENTERED WITH THE INSURER OF THE OTHER CAR INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT PRECLUDED CLAIM FOR SUPPLEMENTARY UNDERINSURED MOTORIST (SUM) BENEFITS AGAINST INSURER OF THE CAR IN WHICH APPELLANT WAS A PASSENGER (SECOND DEPT))/CONTRACT LAW (RELEASE, INSURANCE LAW, RELEASE ENTERED WITH THE INSURER OF THE OTHER CAR INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT PRECLUDED CLAIM FOR SUPPLEMENTARY UNDERINSURED MOTORIST (SUM) BENEFITS AGAINST INSURER OF THE CAR IN WHICH APPELLANT WAS A PASSENGER (SECOND DEPT))/SUPPLEMENTARY UNDERINSURED MOTORIST (SUM) BENEFITS (RELEASE ENTERED WITH THE INSURER OF THE OTHER CAR INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT PRECLUDED CLAIM FOR SUPPLEMENTARY UNDERINSURED MOTORIST (SUM) BENEFITS AGAINST INSURER OF THE CAR IN WHICH APPELLANT WAS A PASSENGER (SECOND DEPT))

/

ATTORNEY HIRED FOR DOCUMENT REVIEW WAS AN EMPLOYEE ENTITLED TO UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS, DESPITE THE ATTORNEY’S SIGNING A DOCUMENT INDICATING SHE WAS AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined claimant, an attorney hired to do document review, was an employee of a law firm (Brody) entitled to unemployment insurance benefits, despite the attorney’s signing a document indicating she was an independent contractor:

The record reflects that Brody paid claimant an hourly set wage, required her to work at least 10 hours per day, Monday through Friday, and required her to obtain approval to take time off. Claimant was required to undergo training on how to do the work, was provided with a computer and workspace, and was assigned documents to review. She was, moreover, required to document her hours and meet with her supervisor to review her submitted hours and receive updates on the case. Claimant did not have an independent legal practice or business … .

The foregoing constitutes substantial evidence supporting the Board’s determination that Brody retained sufficient overall control of claimant’s services to establish an employer-employee relationship, notwithstanding evidence in the record that might support a contrary conclusion … . A different result is not compelled by the facts that claimant signed a written agreement labelling her as an independent contractor and believed that she performed in that capacity … . Matter of Philip (Brody–Commissioner of Labor), 2018 NY Slip Op 05648, Third Dept 8-2-18

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE (ATTORNEY HIRED FOR DOCUMENT REVIEW WAS AN EMPLOYEE ENTITLED TO UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS, DESPITE THE ATTORNEY’S SIGNING A DOCUMENT INDICATING SHE WAS AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR (THIRD DEPT))/ATTORNEYS (UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, ATTORNEY HIRED FOR DOCUMENT REVIEW WAS AN EMPLOYEE ENTITLED TO UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS, DESPITE THE ATTORNEY’S SIGNING A DOCUMENT INDICATING SHE WAS AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR (THIRD DEPT))

/

TUTOR WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE TUTORING SERVICE ENTITLED TO UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS (THIRD DEPT). ​

The Third Department determined a tutor employed by a tutoring service, Mulberry, was an employee entitled to unemployment insurance benefits:

Mulberry did not advertise for tutors, but received inquiries directly from potential tutors who heard about Mulberry through various means. It then collected their resumes and notified them when an opening became available. When claimant was notified, Mulberry’s director reviewed his resume and qualifications, verified his certifications and met with him to discuss the details of the tutoring position, including the pay rate, which was set at $40 per hour and was a percentage of the fee that it charged to its clients. After Mulberry matched a tutor with a student, it provided the tutor with a “student profile” containing pertinent information about the student, but it did not dictate the lesson plan, observe the tutoring sessions or oversee the instruction. Once a tutor accepted an assignment, the tutor set up the instructional schedule directly with the student and/or parent and Mulberry did not impose set work hours. A tutor, however, was free to reject an assignment.

Although tutors could conduct tutoring sessions at other locations, most sessions occurred at Mulberry’s learning center where it had books, supplies, computers and equipment available for the tutors to use even though they typically used either their own or their students’ instructional materials. When tutors worked at Mulberry’s learning center, they completed a time sheet or calendar detailing their hours and the students they tutored. Folders that were provided by Mulberry containing student information were maintained at the learning center. Mulberry also provided the tutors with a “tutoring record” to help them keep track of their hours, the students they instructed and the material covered, as well as a monthly invoice form that the tutors could submit to receive payment, which was tendered regardless of whether Mulberry received payment from its clients. Mulberry did not reimburse tutors for expenses, withhold taxes from their compensation or prohibit them from working for others. However, it sometimes assisted in resolving scheduling issues and intervened in the rare case when there was a problem with a student. Moreover, if a tutor had accepted an assignment and then became unavailable for an extended period of time, Mulberry would find a replacement. Significantly, Mulberry labeled the tutors “our teachers” and referred to their instruction as “our lesson plans” in its marketing literature, giving the impression that the tutors were, in fact, Mulberry’s employees.

In view of the foregoing, we find that Mulberry exercised control over important aspects of the tutors’ work notwithstanding its lack of involvement in the actual instruction provided by the tutors. Mulberry was not simply a referral agency, but held itself out as the tutors’ employer and acted as such. Matter of Eidelson (Mulberry Tree Ctr. LLC–Commissioner of Labor), 2018 NY Slip Op 05645, Third Dept 8-2-18

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE (TUTOR WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE TUTORING SERVICE ENTITLED TO UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS (THIRD DEPT))/TUTORS (UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, TUTOR WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE TUTORING SERVICE ENTITLED TO UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS (THIRD DEPT))

/ , ,

NO PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENT PERFORMANCE OF A GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION AGAINST THE BOARD OF PAROLE (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined the claimant, an inmate, did not have a private right of action for negligent performance of a governmental function against the Board of Parole. Claimant alleged the board did not comply with the Executive Law by promulgating certain written procedures for assessing an inmate’s eligibility for parole:

Inasmuch as Executive Law article 12-B, which sets forth the procedures governing parole, does not expressly authorize a private right of action for claimant to recover civil damages for a violation of its provisions, recovery may only be obtained if a private right of action may be implied … . “One may be fairly implied when (1) [claimant] is one of the class for whose particular benefit the statute was enacted; (2) recognition of a private right of action would promote the legislative purpose of the governing statute; and (3) to do so would be consistent with the legislative scheme” … . “If one of these prerequisites is lacking, the claim will fail” … .

We agree with the Court of Claims that a private action may not be fairly implied here. The Legislature provides recourse under CPLR article 78 for inmates to address perceived instances where the Board did not satisfy its statutory obligations in making parole release determinations… . As the Legislature has established procedures for review of parole release decisions, “it is fair to infer that had it intended to create a private right of action . . ., it would have specifically done so” … . Accordingly, permitting a private action here would be inconsistent with the legislative scheme … . Franza v State of New York, 2018 NY Slip Op 05641, Third Dept 8-2-18

CRIMINAL LAW  NO PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENT PERFORMANCE OF A GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION AGAINST THE BOARD OF PAROLE (THIRD DEPT))/ADMINISTRATIVE LAW (CRIMINAL LAW, PAROLE, NO PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENT PERFORMANCE OF A GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION AGAINST THE BOARD OF PAROLE (THIRD DEPT))/COURT OF CLAIMS (PAROLE, NO PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENT PERFORMANCE OF A GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION AGAINST THE BOARD OF PAROLE (THIRD DEPT))/PAROLE (NO PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENT PERFORMANCE OF A GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION AGAINST THE BOARD OF PAROLE (THIRD DEPT))/NEGLIGENT PERFORMANCE OF A GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION  NO PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENT PERFORMANCE OF A GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION AGAINST THE BOARD OF PAROLE (THIRD DEPT))

/ , ,

PLAINTIFF STATED A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE NYC HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, WHICH WAS DEEMED BROADER IN SCOPE THAN THE STATE HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, PLAINTIFF ALLEGED HER SUPERVISOR SQUEEZED HER THIGH AND HER REJECTION OF THAT ADVANCE RESULTED IN HER BEING TREATED LESS WELL THAN OTHER EMPLOYEES THEREAFTER (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Moulton, over an extensive two-justice dissenting opinion, determined plaintiff had stated a cause of action for gender discrimination under the NYC Human Rights Law, which was deemed broader in scope than the state Human Rights Law. Plaintiff alleged she was treated less well than other employees after she rejected a sexual advance by her supervisor (Cirullo). The supervisor allegedly squeezed plaintiff’s thigh when he sat next to her:

In 2005, the City Council passed the Local Civil Rights Restoration Act of 2005 ,,, , finding that the provisions of the City Human Rights Law had been “construed too narrowly to ensure protection of the civil rights of all persons covered by the law.” The Restoration Act revised the City Human Rights Law … to state: “The provisions of this title shall be construed liberally for the accomplishment of the uniquely broad and remedial purposes thereof, regardless of whether federal or New York State civil and human rights laws, including those laws with provisions worded comparably to provisions of this title, have been so construed.” * * *

… [T]o establish a gender discrimination claim under the City Human Rights Law, a plaintiff need only demonstrate “by a preponderance of the evidence that she has been treated less well than other employees because of her gender” … . … [F]ederal and state law, limiting actionable sexual harassment to “severe or pervasive” conduct, [is] not appropriate for the broader and more remedial City Human Rights Law … . ,,, [W]e recognize[] an affirmative defense whereby defendants can avoid liability if the conduct amounted to nothing more than what a reasonable victim of discrimination would consider “petty slights and trivial inconveniences” … . * * *

The jury must decide whether Cirullo made a sexual overture, and whether Cirullo created a hostile work environment because Suri rebuffed that overture … . Sexual advances are not always made explicitly. The absence of evidence of a supervisor’s direct pressure for sexual favors as a condition of employment does not negate indirect pressure or doom the claim … . Suri v Grey Global Group, Inc., 2018 NY Slip Op 05627, First Dept 8-2-18

EMPLOYMENT LAW (GENDER DISCRIMINATION, NYC HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, PLAINTIFF STATED A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE NYC HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, WHICH WAS DEEMED BROADER IN SCOPE THAN THE STATE HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, PLAINTIFF ALLEGED HER SUPERVISOR SQUEEZED HER THIGH AND HER REJECTION OF THAT ADVANCE RESULTED IN HER BEING TREATED LESS WELL THAN OTHER EMPLOYEES THEREAFTER (FIRST DEPT))/HUMAN RIGHTS LAW (EMPLOYMENT LAW, GENDER DISCRIMINATION, NYC HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, PLAINTIFF STATED A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE NYC HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, WHICH WAS DEEMED BROADER IN SCOPE THAN THE STATE HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, PLAINTIFF ALLEGED HER SUPERVISOR SQUEEZED HER THIGH AND HER REJECTION OF THAT ADVANCE RESULTED IN HER BEING TREATED LESS WELL THAN OTHER EMPLOYEES THEREAFTER (FIRST DEPT))/MUNICIPAL LAW (GENDER DISCRIMINATION, EMPLOYMENT LAW, NYC HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, PLAINTIFF STATED A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE NYC HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, WHICH WAS DEEMED BROADER IN SCOPE THAN THE STATE HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, PLAINTIFF ALLEGED HER SUPERVISOR SQUEEZED HER THIGH AND HER REJECTION OF THAT ADVANCE RESULTED IN HER BEING TREATED LESS WELL THAN OTHER EMPLOYEES THEREAFTER (FIRST DEPT))/GENDER DISCRIMINATION (NYC HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, PLAINTIFF STATED A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE NYC HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, WHICH WAS DEEMED BROADER IN SCOPE THAN THE STATE HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, PLAINTIFF ALLEGED HER SUPERVISOR SQUEEZED HER THIGH AND HER REJECTION OF THAT ADVANCE RESULTED IN HER BEING TREATED LESS WELL THAN OTHER EMPLOYEES THEREAFTER (FIRST DEPT))/SEXUAL ADVANCES (EMPLOYMENT LAW, NYC HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, PLAINTIFF STATED A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE NYC HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, WHICH WAS DEEMED BROADER IN SCOPE THAN THE STATE HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, PLAINTIFF ALLEGED HER SUPERVISOR SQUEEZED HER THIGH AND HER REJECTION OF THAT ADVANCE RESULTED IN HER BEING TREATED LESS WELL THAN OTHER EMPLOYEES THEREAFTER (FIRST DEPT))

/ , , , ,

CITY WAS IMMUNE FROM SUIT BASED UPON THE HANDLING OF A DECEASED PERSON DURING HURRICANE SANDY AND NO SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WAS DEMONSTRATED WITH THE CITY (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department determined the city was immune from suit stemming from alleged interference with the right of sepulcher during Hurricane Sandy, which flooded the Bellevue Hospital morgue. The court further determined there was no special relationship between plaintiff and the city:

Contrary to plaintiffs’ argument, the right of sepulcher does not, by definition, trump governmental immunity … acted in its governmental capacity at all relevant times… . The specific act from which plaintiffs’ claims arise is the City’s treatment of the decedent’s body in the context of Hurricane Sandy, i.e., as the hurricane approached, once it had struck, and in its aftermath. Plaintiffs seek to ignore or minimize the significance of that context. However, their claims directly implicate the City’s emergency preparations and the decisions it made during and immediately after the unprecedented hurricane, which caused, among other things, unprecedented flooding in the Bellevue Hospital morgue — all quintessential governmental functions. Moreover, these preparations and decisions were discretionary, not ministerial … . Thus, the record demonstrates the elements of governmental function immunity from liability as a matter of law … .

Plaintiffs failed to establish the special relationship with the City required for holding the City liable for their injury … . In support of their contention that the City violated a statutory duty enacted for their benefit, they rely on statutes that do not contemplate private rights of action and, in any event, are not relevant to this case, which does not involve autopsy, dissection or unclaimed remains (see Public Health Law § 4215) or individuals fighting for control over the disposition of those remains … . Nor did plaintiffs establish that, in its treatment of the decedent’s body in the wake of Hurricane Sandy,the City voluntarily assumed a duty that generated their justifiable reliance … . Lee v City of New York, 2018 NY Slip Op 05626, First Dept 8-2-18

SEPULCHER (CITY WAS IMMUNE FROM SUIT BASED UPON THE HANDLING OF A DECEASED PERSON DURING HURRICANE SANDY AND NO SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WAS DEMONSTRATED WITH THE CITY (FIRST DEPT))/MUNICIPAL LAW (SEPULCHER, CITY WAS IMMUNE FROM SUIT BASED UPON THE HANDLING OF A DECEASED PERSON DURING HURRICANE SANDY AND NO SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WAS DEMONSTRATED WITH THE CITY (FIRST DEPT))/NEGLIGENCE (SEPULCHER, CITY WAS IMMUNE FROM SUIT BASED UPON THE HANDLING OF A DECEASED PERSON DURING HURRICANE SANDY AND NO SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WAS DEMONSTRATED WITH THE CITY (FIRST DEPT))/NEGLIGENCE (SEPULCHER, CITY WAS IMMUNE FROM SUIT BASED UPON THE HANDLING OF A DECEASED PERSON DURING HURRICANE SANDY AND NO SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WAS DEMONSTRATED WITH THE CITY (FIRST DEPT))/IMMUNITY (MUNICIPAL LAW, SEPULCHER, CITY WAS IMMUNE FROM SUIT BASED UPON THE HANDLING OF A DECEASED PERSON DURING HURRICANE SANDY AND NO SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WAS DEMONSTRATED WITH THE CITY (FIRST DEPT))

/ ,

THE LOW AND MODERATE INCOME APARTMENT BUILDING WAS SUBJECT TO FEDERAL HUD REGULATION UNTIL THE HUD MORTGAGE WAS PAID OFF IN 2011, AFTER THAT THE BUILDING WAS SUBJECT TO THE NYC RENT STABILIZATION LAW (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, in this suit against the landlord by the tenant’s association, determined the apartment building for low and moderate income tenants was subject to federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulation until the HUD mortgage was paid off in April, 2011. Once the mortgage was paid off, the building became subject to the Rent Stabilization Law (RSL):

While we find that the RSL was preempted as to the subject building through April 11, 2011, defendant owner is not entitled to a declaration that the RSL is preempted for the duration of the Use Agreement. Owner fails to demonstrate how HUD had the authority to extend preemption of the RSL beyond April 11, 2011, to 2016 and again to 2026. Accordingly, we limit the declaration in defendant owner’s favor to April 11, 2011, and declare in plaintiffs’ favor that the building was subject to the Rent Stabilization Law as of April 12, 2011.

As long as the building was a project financed by a HUD mortgage, it was subject to the HUD Handbook, based on that loan and the terms of the related Regulatory Agreement. However, once the loan was paid off and the Regulatory Agreement terminated, the building ceased to be such a project. Plaintiffs failed to identify any continuing basis for applying the HUD Handbook to a building that had since been regulated pursuant to the terms of the Use Agreement requiring the preservation of low-income housing.  435 Cent. Park W. Tenant Assn. v Park Front Apts., LLC, 2018 NY Slip Op 05625, First Dept 8-2-18

LANDLORD-TENANT (MUNICIPAL LAW, THE LOW AND MODERATE INCOME APARTMENT BUILDING WAS SUBJECT TO FEDERAL HUD REGULATION UNTIL THE HUD MORTGAGE WAS PAID OFF IN 2011, AFTER THAT THE BUILDING WAS SUBJECT TO THE NYC RENT STABILIZATION LAW (FIRST DEPT))/MUNICIPAL LAW (LANDLORD-TENANT, THE LOW AND MODERATE INCOME APARTMENT BUILDING WAS SUBJECT TO FEDERAL HUD REGULATION UNTIL THE HUD MORTGAGE WAS PAID OFF IN 2011, AFTER THAT THE BUILDING WAS SUBJECT TO THE NYC RENT STABILIZATION LAW (FIRST DEPT))

Categories

Sign Up for the Mailing List to Be Notified When the Site Is Updated.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Copyright © 2026 New York Appellate Digest, Inc.
Site by CurlyHost | Privacy Policy