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Entries by Bruce Freeman

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THE BREACH OF THE IMPLIED COVENANT OF GOOD FAITH SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED AS DUPLICATIVE OF THE BREACH OF CONTRACT CAUSE OF ACTION (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, modifying Supreme Court, determined the breach of the implied covenant of good faith should have been dismissed as duplicative of the breach of contract action: Supreme Court … erred by denying that part of defendants’ motion seeking dismissal of the cause of action alleging breach of the implied covenant of good faith […]

THE ROLLED UP MAT WHICH CAUSED PLAINTIFF TO SLIP AND FALL WAS KNOWN TO THE PLAINTIFF AND WAS OPEN AND OBVIOUS; DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the rolled up map which caused plaintiff’s slip and fall was open and obvious and therefore nonactionable: While a possessor of real property has a duty to maintain that property in a reasonably safe condition … , “there is no duty to protect or warn against an open […]

NO ONE MOVED TO QUASH THE NONJUDICIAL SUBPOENA SERVED ON A NONPARTY; SUPREME COURT SHOULD HAVE GRANTED THE MOTION TO COMPEL THE NONPARTY’S APPEARANCE AT A DEPOSITION (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined Supreme Court should have compelled the former Town Supervisor (St. Lawrence) to appear for depositions in this slip and fall case: … [T]he plaintiff served nonparty Christopher St. Lawrence, former Town Supervisor for the Town, with a nonjudicial subpoena directing him to appear for a deposition. St. Lawrence failed to appear […]

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THE JUDGE WAS REQUIRED TO DETERMINE WHETHER DEFENDANT IS AN “ELIGIBLE YOUTH,” AND, IF SO WHETHER DEFENDANT SHOULD BE ADJUDICATED A YOUTHFUL OFFENDER; THE JUDGE WAS NOT AUTHORIZED TO ACCEPT A GUILTY PLEA TO SECOND DEGREE MURDER FROM THE JUVENILE DEFENDANT; THE WAIVER OF APPEAL WAS INVALID (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined: (1) because defendant pled guilty to “armed felonies,” the judge was required to determine on the record whether defendant was an “eligible youth” and, if so, whether he should be afforded youthful offender status; (2) the judge was not authorized to accept a guilty plea for second degree murder from the […]

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THE TRIAL JUDGE DID NOT MEANINGFULLY RESPOND TO A NOTE FROM THE JURY; RE-READING THE ORIGINAL INSTRUCTIONS WAS NOT SUFFICIENT; CONVICTION REVERSED, NEW TRIAL ORDERED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department reversed the judgment of conviction and ordered a new trial because the trial judge did not meaningfully respond to a note from the jury. Under the facts here, re-reading the original instructions was not sufficient: … [W]hen the jury was deliberating, the County Court failed to meaningfully respond to one of the […]

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THE PETITIONERS DEMONSTRATED THAT THE OPERATION OF A CONCRETE PLANT WOULD CAUSE INJURIES TO THEM DIFFERENT FROM THOSE SUFFERED BY THE PUBLIC AT LARGE; SUPREME COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE DETERMINED PETITIONERS DID NOT HAVE STANDING TO CONTEST THE RENOVATION AND OPERATION OF THE PLANT (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined petitioners had standing to contest the renovation and operation of a concrete plant: Supreme Court improperly determined that the Hill & Dale petitioners and the Veteri petitioners lacked standing to challenge the ZBA’s determination. The Hill & Dale petitioners alleged environmental injuries to a private lake owned by […]

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THE SUPPORT MAGISTRATE DID NOT ENSURE THAT FATHER KNOWINGLY, INTELLIGENTLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVED HIS RIGHT TO COUNSEL IN THIS CHILD SUPPORT PROCEEDING; ORDER OF COMMITMENT REVERSED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Family Court’s order of commitment for father’s failure to pay child support, determined the Support Magistrate did not ensure that father’s waiver of counsel was knowing, intelligent and voluntary: … [A]t the beginning of the hearing, the Support Magistrate asked the father what he “want[ed] to do about legal representation,” to […]

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THE PETITION STATED CAUSES OF ACTION FOR A VIOLATION OF REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW (RPTL) 305 AND VIOLATION OF EQUAL PROTECTION; THE PETITION ALLEGED LARGER HOMES WERE ASSESSED AT LESS THAN 100% OF MARKET VALUE AND SMALLER HOMES WERE ASSESSED AT 100% OF MARKET VALUE (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the petition stated causes of action for improper assessment of property values and violation of equal protection. It was alleged that the methodology use to assess the value of home for property tax purposes resulted in less than 100% assessment for the larger homes and 100% assessment for […]

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PETITIONER’S NOTICE OF CLAIM DEMONSTRATED HE HAD SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO FORMULATE A COMPLAINT IN THIS SLIP AND FALL CASE; HIS REQUEST FOR PRE-JOINDER DISCOVERY AND PRESERVATION OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined pre-joinder discovery and preservation of the accident site was not necessary in this slip and fall case: The petitioner alleges … he slipped and fell due to an accumulation of water leaking from the ceiling onto the landing at the top of an escalator in a subway station. […]

THE DAMAGES AMOUNT ASSESSED AGAINST THE DEFAULTING DEFENDANT IN THE INQUEST WAS EXCESSIVE (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the amount of damages assessed against the defaulting defendant in the inquest was excessive: Although this Court is not relieving the defendant of his default, this Court may consider whether excessive damages were awarded … . “An unwarranted and excessive award after inquest will not be sustained, […]

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