You are here: / Bruce Freeman

Entries by Bruce Freeman

, ,

DEFENDANT HOSPITAL’S EMERGENCY ROOM PERSONNEL WERE UNAWARE PLAINTIFF HAD EXECUTED A “MOLST” DECLINING LIFE-SAVING TREATMENT WHEN THEY PERFORMED CHEST COMPRESSIONS WHICH REVIVED PLAINTIFF BUT FRACTURED RIBS; PLAINTIFF SUFFERED ANOTHER HEART ATTACK SEVEN HOURS LATER AND DIED; A JURY AWARDED DAMAGES FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING; PLAINTIFF’S EXPERT DID NOT SUFFICIENTLY ARTICULATE A STANDARD OF CARE OR A VIOLATION OF A STANDARD OF CARE; THE DEFENSE MOTION FOR A DIRECTED VERDICT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing the denial of defendant hospital’s motion for a directed verdict in this med mal case, determined the plaintiff’s expert did not establish the applicable standard of care or a breach thereof. Plaintiff had executed a Medical Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) declining life-saving measures. Hospital personnel were not aware of the […]

, ,

THE JUDGE DID NOT FOLLOW THE REQUIRED PROCEDURE FOR FINDING NEGLECT ON A GROUND NOT ALLEGED IN THE PETITION; TO DO SO, THE JUDGE MUST AMEND THE ALLEGATIONS IN THE PETITION TO CONFORM TO THE PROOF AND GIVE THE RESPONDENT TIME TO RESPOND TO THE AMENDED ALLEGATIONS; NEITHER WAS DONE; PETITION DISMISSED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, dismissing the neglect petition, determined Family Court did not follow the required procedure for finding neglect on a ground which was not alleged in the petition. The court may amend the allegations in the petition to conform to the proof, provided the respondent is given a reasonable time to respond to the […]

,

THE SENTENCING COURT DID NOT ABUSE ITS DISCRETION IN DENYING A YOUTHFUL OFFENDER ADJUDICATION, DESPITE THIS BEING DEFENDANT’S FIRST CONTACT WITH THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, HIS ACQUITTAL OF THE MOST SERIOUS CHARGES, AND AFFIDAVITS FROM SEVERAL JURORS IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION TO SET ASIDE THE VERDICT; THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIVE DISSENT (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, affirming defendant’s attempted assault conviction and the denial of youthful offender status, over a dissent, determined the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the request for a youthful offender adjudication. The victim was slashed with a knife in the abdomen and arm. It was defendant’s first contact with the […]

,

ALTHOUGH CLAIMANT’S MEDICAL REPORT DID NOT ADHERE TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION LAW 137 AND COULD BE DEEMED INADMISSIBLE FOR THAT REASON, THE EMPLOYER FAILED TO MAKE A TIMELY OBJECTION TO THE REPORT; THE PRECLUSION OF THE REPORT WAS THEREFORE ERROR (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing the Workers’ Compensation Board, determined the medical report (by Dr, Kountis) finding claimant had a 42.5% schedule loss of use (SLU) of the right wrist should not have been precluded because it did not meet the requirements of Workers’ Compensation Law 137. Although the Board has the power to preclude the […]

A DEFENDANT, BY HIS OR HER CONDUCT, CAN FORFEIT THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY 12 JURORS; HERE DEFENDANT APPROACHED THE JURY FOREMAN AT THE FOREMAN’S HOME AND THE FOREMAN WAS DISCHARGED; THE TRIAL JUDGE PROPERLY PROCEEDED WITH 11 JURORS (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Troutman, determined defendant, by his egregious conduct directed at the jury foreperson, forfeited his right to a 12-person jury and the trial properly proceeded to a verdict with the remaining 11 jurors: The foreperson testified that the court adjourned at around 1:00 the day before […]

THE EXTENSION (NOW TO 2026) OF THE TIME FOR PARTICIPANTS IN THE 9-11 CLEANUP TO FILE CLAIMS FOR MEDICAL BENEFITS DOES NOT APPLY TO CLAIMS FOR DEATH BENEFITS BY A BENEFICIARY OF A DECEASED PARTICIPANT; HERE THE PARTICIPANT’S WIFE MADE A CLAIM FOR DEATH BENEFITS WHICH WAS PROPERLY DENIED BECAUSE THE STATUTORY DEADLINE IN WORKERS’ COMPENSATION LAW SECTION 28 HAD PASSED (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Garcia, determined the two-year death-benefit statute of limitations in Workers’ Compensation Law section 28 precluded a claim for death benefits made by the wife of a volunteer who participated in the 9-11 cleanup and who had received lifetime benefits for resulting medical conditions. Although the […]

,

PLAINTIFF WAS INJURED WHEN SHE USED HER ARM TO KEEP THE ELEVATOR DOOR FROM CLOSING; DEFENDANTS DEMONSTRATED THE ELEVATOR WAS IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION TWO WEEKS BEFORE PLAINTIFF’S INJURY; DEFENDANTS WERE ENTITLED TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendants (building owner and elevator company) were entitled to summary judgment dismissing the complaint which alleged the elevator doors slammed shut on plaintiff’s hand. A video showed that plaintiff extended her arm between the door frame and the elevator door to keep it from closing: Movants sustained their […]

, ,

SIX TOWN OF NEWBURGH VOTERS CHALLENGEDTHE TOWN’S AT-LARGE ELECTION SYSTEM UNDER THE VOTER DILUTION STATUTE WHICH PROHIBITS THE DILUTION OF VOTES OF MEMBERS OF A PROTECTED CLASS, HERE BLACKS AND HISPANICS; THE TOWN RESPONDED WITH A CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE TO THE VOTER DILUTION STATUTE; THE COURT OF APPEALS HELD THE TOWN, A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY CREATED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE, COULD NOT CHALLENGE A STATE STATUTE AS FACIALLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Wilson, affirming the Appellate Division, determined the Town of Newburgh, as a governmental entity created by the state legislature, could not challenge the facial constitutionality of the vote dilution provision of the New York Voting Rights Act (NYVRA) (codified at Election Law 17-200 et seq. […]

,

THE SEARCH WARRANT WAS BASED UPON STATEMENTS BY AN INFORMANT; BUT THE WARRANT APPLICATION DID NOT DEMONSTRATE THE BASIS OF THE INFORMANT’S KNOWLEDGE; THEREFORE THE EVIDENCE SEIZED PURSUANT TO THE WARRANT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED (CT APP).

The Second Department, reversing the Appellate Division, determined the search warrant failed the basis of knowledge requirement of the Aguilar-Spinelli test. The seized evidence should have been suppressed, requiring the dismissal of several counts: … [W]e hold that as a matter of law the evidence provided in support of the 205 Curtis Street search warrant […]

, ,

THE DEFENDANT’S WAIVER OF APPEAL WAS INVALID BECAUSE THE JUDGE FAILED TO ADVISE DEFENDANT (1) THAT THE STATE WOULD BEAR THE COSTS OF AN APPEAL IF THE DEFENDANT COULD NOT AFFORD THEM; AND (2) THE WAIVER DID NOT ENCOMPASS THE LOSS OF RIGHTS TO COUNSEL AND THE WAIVER OF COSTS, FEES, AND EXPENSES; IN ADDITION THE JUDGE DID NOT ASCERTAIN WHETHER DEFFENDANT READ AND UNDERSTOOD THE WRITTEN WAIVER FORM, OR WHETHER DEFENDANT HAD DISCUSSED THE WAIVER WITH COUNSEL (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department determined defendant’s waiver of appeal was invalid: … [T]he defendant’s purported waiver of his right to appeal was invalid. Among other things, during the appeal waiver colloquy, the Supreme Court failed to advise the defendant that if he could not afford the costs of an appeal or of an attorney to represent […]

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