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Entries by Bruce Freeman

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THE BUILDING OWNER HAD, BY CONTRACT, RELINQUISHED ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE TO DEFENDANT AMERICAN ELEVATOR AND WAS THEREFORE NOT LIABLE FOR THE ALLEGED ELEVATOR MALFUNCTION; THE PLAINTIFF ALLEGED THE INNER GATE CLOSED ON HER SHOULDER, PINNING HER, AND THE ELEVATOR THEN DESCENDED; A QUESTION OF FACT PURSUANT TO THE RES IPSA LOQUITUR DOCTRINE WAS RAISED (FIRST DEPT). ​

The First Department determined that the building owner, 1067 Fifth Avenue Corp. had, by contract, relinquished the responsibility to maintain the elevator to defendant American Elevator. Plaintiff alleged the elevator inner gate closed on her shoulder and then the elevator descended. Plaintiff alleged she injured her shoulder, neck and back pulling her arm free. Although the […]

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THE MALICIOUS PROSECUTION CAUSE OF ACTION AGAINST THE TOWN STEMMING FROM THE TOWN JUSTICE’S ISSUANCE OF AN ARREST WARRANT FOR PLAINTIFF SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED AS BARRED BY THE DOCTRINE OF JUDICIAL IMMUNITY (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the malicious prosecution cause of action against the town should have been dismissed. Plaintiff daughter filed a report accusing her mother of withdrawing money from the daughter’s account without permission. An arrest warrant was issued. Plaintiff thereafter produced a power of attorney allowing her to withdraw money […]

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PURPORTED MORTGAGE PAYMENTS MADE AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR A FORECLOSURE ACTION DID NOT REVIVE THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR THE PURCHASERS OF THE ENCUMBERED PROPERTY OR THE BANK WHICH ISSUED A MORTGAGE SECURED BY THE ENCUMBERED PROPERTY (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined mortgage payments allegedly made after the expiration of the statute of limitations for a foreclosure action did not revive the statute of limitations as against defendants, who purchased the encumbered property, and defendant bank which issued a mortgage secured by the property: … [T]he tolling or revival effect […]

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THE RECEIPT OF THE LETTER BY CERTIFIED MAIL, NOT THE PRIOR RECEIPT OF AN EMAIL WITH THE LETTER ATTACHED, TRIGGERED THE FOUR-MONTH STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR BRINGING AN ARTICLE 78 PROCEEDING; THE OMISSION OF THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE RESPONDENTS BE SERVED WITH THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE COULD BE REMEDIED BY AN EXTENSION OF THE TIME TO EFFECT SERVICE PURSUANT TO CPLR 306-B (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the receipt of a letter by certified mail on January 22, not the receipt of the email with the letter attached on January 17, started the four-month statute of limitations for the Article 78 action. The letter was the final determination of the respondent Department of Health, denying […]

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ALL BUT ONE COUNT OF THE INDICTMENT WAS RENDERED DUPLICITOUS BY THE CHILD-VICTIM’S GRAND JURY TESTIMONY IN THIS SEXUAL ABUSE CASE; THE SIMILAR UNCHARGED OFFENSES SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED UNDER MOLINEUX AS BACKGROUND EVIDENCE; NEW TRIAL ORDERED (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing defendant’s conviction and ordering a new trial determined: (1) the duplicitous counts of the indictment should have been dismissed pre-trial, not post-trial; (2) the evidence of similar uncharged offenses under Molineux should not have been admitted as “background evidence.” The defendant was charged with sexual abuse of a child. With the […]

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IT WAS ERROR TO ALLOW IN EVIDENCE PHOTOGRAPHS OF A BAYONET WHICH WAS NOT THE WEAPON USED IN THE STABBING; THE MAJORITY FOUND THE ERROR HARMLESS, THE DISSENT DISAGREED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, over an extensive dissent, determined admitting in evidence photographs of a bayonet which was not used in the stabbing was harmless error. The dissent argued the error was not harmless in this first degree manslaughter case: The court should not have permitted the People to introduce photographs taken by the police of […]

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CLAIMANT FELL OFF AN I-BEAM AND HIS LANYARD DID NOT PREVENT HIM FROM STRIKING THE DECK EIGHT TO TEN FEET BELOW; CLAIMANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON HIS LABOR LAW 240(1) CAUSE OF ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing the Court of Claims, determined claimant’s motion for summary judgment on his Labor Law 240(1) cause of action should have been granted. Claimant alleged he fell off an I-beam and his lanyard didn’t stop him from striking the deck eight to ten feet below: The record establishes that the safety devices “proved […]

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IN THE ABSENCE OF AN ORDER SUBSTITUTING THE BANKRUPTCY TRUSTEE FOR THE PLAINTIFF-DEBTOR, THE DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS THE COMPLAINT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED; SUPREME COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE DENIED DEFENDANTS’ MOTION AND DIRECTED PLAINTIFF TO SEEK RELIEF FROM THE BANKRUPTCY COURT (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, noted that, as a matter of comity, based upon an order in bankruptcy court, a New York court will substitute the bankruptcy trustee as a party in a suit involving the plaintiff/debtor. Here there was no such order and the defendants’ motion to dismiss the complaint should have been […]

ALTHOUGH DECEDENT’S BODY WAS DELIVERED TO THE WRONG FUNERAL HOME, PLAINTIFFS DID NOT DEMONSTRATE DEFENDANT INTERFERED WITH PLAINTIFFS’ RIGHT OF SEPULCHER (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the plaintiffs did not demonstrate defendant interfered with plaintiffs’ right of sepulcher by releasing the decedent’s body to the wrong funeral home: “The common-law right of sepulcher affords the deceased’s next of kin an absolute right to the immediate possession of a decedent’s body for preservation and burial . . . […]

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THE JURY WAS PROPERLY INSTRUCTED ON THE RES IPSA LOQUITUR DOCTRINE IN THIS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ACTION (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined the jury was properly instructed on the res ipsa loquitur doctrine in this medical malpractice case. Here plaintiffs presented evidence nerve damage would not have occurred absent negligence. The plaintiff’s verdict was upheld: We agree with the Supreme Court’s determination to charge the jury with respect to res ipsa loquitur. “Under […]

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