You are here: / Bruce Freeman

Entries by Bruce Freeman

, , ,

THE BANK IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION DID NOT DEMONSTRATE IT WAS THE HOLDER OF THE NOTE AND DID NOT DEMONSTRATE POSSESSION OF THE NOTE AT THE TIME THE ACTION WAS BROUGHT BECAUSE THE NOTE ITSELF WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE LOAN SERVICER’S AFFIDAVIT; THE BANK’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the plaintiff bank should not have been awarded summary judgment in this foreclosure action because it did not demonstrate standing to foreclose: … [T]here was no evidence that the plaintiff is the assignee of the note, and a triable issue of fact exists as to whether the plaintiff […]

, ,

DEFENSE COUNSEL WAITED UNTIL AFTER THE PROSECUTOR MADE SEVERAL ARGUABLY IMPROPER REMARKS IN SUMMATION BEFORE OBJECTING “TO ALL OF THIS;” THE OBJECTION WAS DEEMED UNTIMELY, VAGUE, AMBIGUOUS, GENERAL AND NONSPECIFIC; THEREFORE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THE PROSECUTOR’S REMARKS WERE NOT PRESERVED FOR APPEAL (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Dillon, over an extensive two-justice dissent, determined defense counsel did not make timely objections to remarks made by the prosecutor in summation. After several arguably improper comments by the prosecutor, defense counsel objected “to all of this.” The judge struck the only last of the prosecutor’s […]

, ,

THE AFFIDAVIT SUBMITTED BY THE BANK IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION DID NOT PRESENT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO DEMONSTRATE COMPLIANCE WITH THE NOTICE OF DEFAULT PROVISIONS OF RPAPL 1304 (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, in this foreclosure action, determined plaintiff bank did not not submit sufficient proof of compliance with the notice-of-default provisions of RPAPL 1304. Among other deficiencies, the documents necessary to prove the notice was mailed were not attached to the affidavit stating the mailing requirements were met: … [P]laintiff failed […]

,

DEFENDANTS’ VAN FAILED TO YIELD TO APPELLANT’S VEHICLE, WHICH HAD THE RIGHT OF WAY, WHEN DEFENDANTS’ VAN ATTEMPTED TO MERGE INTO APPELLANT’S LANE; THE DASH CAM VIDEO DEMONSTRATED DEFENDANT-DRIVER VIOLATED THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW; APPELLANT WAS NOT NEGLIGENT AS A MATTER OF LAW (SECOND DEPT). ​

​The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined a dash cam video demonstrated that defendants’ van failed to yield to appellant’s vehicle. Therefore, appellant was not negligent as a matter of law: “A driver has a duty not to merge into a lane of moving traffic until it is safe to do so, and a violation […]

,

THE BROKER WAS THE PROCURING CAUSE OF THE SALE OF THE REAL PROPERTY AND THEREFORE WAS ENTITLED TO THE AGREED 4% COMMISSION (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, over an extensive dissent, determined the broker in this sale of real property was the procuring cause of the sale and was therefore entitled to the agreed 4% commission: “To prevail on a cause of action to recover a commission, the broker must establish (1) that it is duly […]

DEFENDANT’S OUT-OF-STATE CONVICTION DID NOT REQUIRE SUMMARY DENIAL OF DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO SEAL THE RECORDS OF HIS NEW YORK CONVICTION; HOWEVER, THE OUT-OF-STATE CONVICTION MUST BE PART OF THE ANALYSIS OF THE APPROPRIATENESS OF SEALING THE NEW YORK RECORDS; SUPREME COURT GRANTED THE MOTION WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE OUT-OF-STATE CONVICTION; MATTER REMITTED FOR A HEARING (SECOND DEPT).

​The Second Department, In a full-fledged opinion by Justice Connolly, reversing Supreme Court, determined that an out-of-state conviction should be considered where defendant seeks to seal the records of a New York conviction. Here Supreme Court had granted the motion to seal, finding that only New York convictions need be considered. The matter was remitted […]

,

IN THIS REAR-END TRAFFIC ACCIDENT CASE, WHERE PLAINTIFF WAS AN INNOCENT PASSENGER, DEFENDANTS’ FAILURE-TO-STATE-A-CAUSE-OF-ACTION AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN STRUCK BECAUSE THE MOTION TO STRIKE AMOUNTED TO TESTING THE SUFFICIENCY OF PLAINTIFF’S OWN CLAIM (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the “failure to state a cause of action” affirmative defense in this traffic accident case should not have been struck. Plaintiff was a passenger in a car rear-ended by defendants. The court noted that any comparative negligence among defendant-drivers does not preclude summary judgment on liability in […]

,

IN THIS REVERSE MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE ACTION, DEFENDANT WAS NAMED AS A BORROWER IN THE MORTGAGE (WHICH SHE SIGNED) BUT NOT IN THE NOTE; THE NOTE AND MORTGAGE MUST BE READ AS A SINGLE AGREEMENT, RAISING A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER DEFENDANT WAS A “SURVIVING BORROWER” THEREBY PRECLUDING FORECLOSURE (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant raised a question of fact in this reverse-mortgage foreclosure action. The mortgage allowed foreclosure upon the death of a borrower (Goldman) as long as the property is not occupied by a “surviving borrower.” Although the defendant was not named as a borrower in the note, she was […]

THE “INTERNAL AFFAIRS DOCTRINE,” WHICH ADDRESSES RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN A COMPANY AND ITS DIRECTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS, APPLIES TO THE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS AT THE TIME OF THE CONDUCT ALLEGED IN THE LAWSUIT, NOT AT THE TIME THE LAWSUIT WAS BROUGHT; CONTRARY AUTHORITY SHOULD NO LONGER BE FOLLOWED (FIRST DEPT). ​

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the “internal affairs doctrine” required the application of the law of the jurisdiction of FanDuel, a Scottish company.  The “internal affairs doctrine” addresses the relationships between a company and its directors and shareholders. The doctrine applies to officers and directors at the time of the conduct alleged in […]

, ,

THE MAJORITY DETERMINED PLAINTIFF DID NOT TIE HIS DIMINISHED RANGE OF MOTION TO THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT, AS OPPOSED TO HIS PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS, AND THEREFORE PLAINTIFF DID NOT DEMONSTRATE “SERIOUS INJURY;” THE DISSENT ARGUED THE NATURE OF THE ACCIDENT (DEFENDANTS’ TRUCK REAR-ENDED PLAINTIFF’S CAR AT 45 MILES PER HOUR) SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AND DEFENDANT MUST TAKE THE PLAINTIFF AS HE OR SHE FINDS HIM (THIRD DEPT). ​

The Third Department, over a two-justice dissent, determined plaintiff did not raise a question of fact about whether he suffered serious injury within the meaning of Insurance Law 5102 in this rear-end traffic accident case. [Editor’s Note: Decisions determining whether plaintiff suffered “serious injury” within the meaning of the No-Fault Law are not covered in […]

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