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THE RECORD DID NOT DEMONSTRATE THE PARENTS COULD NOT COMMUNICATE ABOUT THE NEEDS OF THE CHILD AND THEREFORE DID NOT SUPPORT AWARDING SOLE CUSTODY TO FATHER; THE JUDGE SHOULD NOT HAVE LEFT IT UP TO THE PARTIES TO CRAFT A PARENTING-TIME SCHEDULE; A CHILD’S TESTIMONY IN A LINCOLN HEARING HAS NO INDEPENDENT EVIDENTIARY VALUE AND MUST BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL (THIRD DEPT). ​

The Third Department, reversing Family Court, determined the record did not support sole legal custody of the child by father, and the judge’s delegating the arrangement of parenting time for mother was improper. In addition, the Third Department noted that statements made by the child to the court in a Lincoln hearing must remain confidential: […]

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DEFENDANT’S BEHAVIOR BEFORE AND DURING THE TRAFFIC STOP DID NOT CREATE “REASONABLE SUSPICION” THE DEFENDANT WAS ARMED; THE FRISK AND SEIZURE OF SMALL PACKETS OF PCP FROM DEFENDANT’S SOCK WAS NOT JUSTIFIED; THE MOTION TO SUPPRESS SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Rodriguez, over a concurrence, reversing Supreme Court, determined the police, during a traffic stop, did not have “reasonable suspicion the suspect was armed” at the time defendant was frisked and small packets of PCP were seized from his sock, requiring suppression of the drugs. The concurrence […]

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THE MALPRACTICE ACTION WAS AGAINST EMERGENCY-ROOM PHYSICIANS WHO TREATED PLAINTIFF’S DECEDENT’S GUNSHOT WOUNDS; PLAINTIFF’S EXPERT’S AFFIDAVIT DID NOT DEMONSTRATE ANY FAMILIARITY WITH EMERGENCY MEDICINE AND THEREFORE DID NOT RAISE A QUESTION OF FACT (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendants’ summary judgment in this medical malpractice action should have been granted because the expert affidavit offered in opposition was deemed “conclusory” and insufficient to raise a question of fact. Plaintiff’s decedent died from three gunshot wounds. Plaintiff’s expert did not demonstrate any familiarity with the practice of […]

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HERE PLAINTIFF DID NOT IDENTIFY AN EXPERT WITNESS AS REQUIRED BY CPLR 3101 AND THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ACTION WAS PROPERLY DISMISSED; HOWEVER PLAINTIFF ALLEGED SCARRING AND BURNING DURING LASER HAIR REMOVAL AND MAY STILL BE ABLE TO PROVE ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE THROUGH THE TESTIMONY OF HIS TREATING PHYSICIAN AND OTHER EVIDENCE; THE NEGLIGENCE CAUSE OF ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined that, although plaintiff was precluded from offering expert evidence and therefore could not prove medical malpractice, the negligence cause of action should not have been dismissed. Plaintiff alleged scarring and burns caused by laser hair removal: The Supreme Court erred in dismissing the negligence cause of action on […]

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DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE ADDRESS FOR DEFENDANT CORPORATION ON FILE WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE WAS INCORRECT, DEFENDANT WAS ENTITLED TO VACATE THE DEFAULT JUDGMENT ON THE GROUND DEFENDANT WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ACTION IN TIME TO DEFEND (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant’s motion to vacate a default judgment should have been granted. Defendant’s address on file with the Secretary of State was incorrect and defendant alleged it did not receive actual notice of the action in time to defend. There was no evidence the failure to update the address […]

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IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, PLAINTIFF’S AFFIANT DID NOT HAVE FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE OF THE MAILING PRACTICES OF THE PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR MAILING THE RPAPL 1304 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE TO THE DEFENDANT; JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE REVERSED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the plaintiff in this foreclosure action did not prove the 90-day notice of foreclosure required by RPAPL 1304 was mailed to the defendant, a failure of proof which has been the ground for hundreds of reversals spanning many years: … [P]laintiff proffered the affidavit of Trey Cook, a […]

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DEFENDANTS OFFERED A REASONABLE EXCUSE FOR DEFAULT IN THIS EVICTION ACTION, INCLUDING THE COVID-19-RELATED DELAYS; THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CERAP) APPLIES TO EVICTION PROCEEDINGS IN SUPREME COURT, AS WELL AS HOLDOVER PROCEEDINGS IN CIVIL COURT (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendants’ motion to vacate the default judgment in this eviction action should have been granted. In addition, the Second Department held the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program (CERAP) applied to eviction actions in Supreme Court (not just to holdover proceedings in Civil Court) and remitted the matter for […]

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DEFENDANT IN THIS SLIP AND FALL CASE PROVED THE AREA WHERE PLAINTIFF ALLEGEDLY SLIPPED AND FELL WAS INSPECTED (AT MOST) AN HOUR AND TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE FALL; THAT PROOF WAS SUFFICIENT TO AWARD DEFENDANT SUMMARY JUDGMENT (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant in this slip and fall case proved it did not have actual or constructive notice of the food on the floor where plaintiff slipped and fell. Defendant’s motion for summary judgment should have been granted: … [T]he defendant established, prima facie, that it did not create or […]

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IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, PLAINTIFF’S COUNSEL’S AFFIDAVIT, WHICH WAS BASED SOLELY UPON READING THE COMPLAINT, DID NOT DEMONSTRATE DEFENDANT’S DEFAULT (SECOND DEPT).

he Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the affidavit by plaintiff’s counsel in this foreclosure action did not demonstrate defendant’s default: Generally, in moving for summary judgment in an action to foreclose a mortgage, a plaintiff establishes its prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law through the production of the mortgage, the […]

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EVIDENCE THAT PLAINTIFF DID NOT HAVE STANDING TO FORECLOSE, SUBMITTED AFTER A JURY TRIAL AND JUDGMENT FOR THE PLAINTIFF, WARRANTED REVERSAL AND A NEW TRIAL (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court in this foreclosure action, determined defendant’s evidence that plaintiff did not have standing to foreclose, submitted after a jury trial and a judgment of foreclosure, raised a question of fact requiring a new trial: The defendant cross-moved … pursuant to CPLR 4404(b) … for judgment … dismissing the complaint […]

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