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Entries by Bruce Freeman

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SUPREME COURT SHOULD HAVE ENSURED DEFENDANT WAS KNOWINGLY AND INTELLIGENTLY WAIVING THE INTOXICATION DEFENSE BEFORE ACCEPTING DEFENDANT’S GUILTY PLEA; IN THE PLEA COLLOQUY DEFENDANT TOLD THE COURT HE WAS DRUNK AND DIDN’T KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, vacating defendant’s guilty plea (attempted burglary), determined Supreme Court should have ensured that the defendant understood he was waiving the intoxication defense by pleading guilty. During the plea colloquy defendant indicated he was drunk and didn’t know what he was doing when he entered a woman’s hotel room: Once defendant raised the […]

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TRANSIT AUTHORITY’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS BUS-PASSENGER INJURY CASE SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED; THE BUS DRIVER REACTED APPROPRIATELY TO A CAR SUDDENLY PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF THE BUS TO MAKE A U-TURN (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant transit authority’s motion for summary judgment in this bus-passenger injury case should have been granted. The driver of a double-parked car pulled out in front of the bus to make a u-turn and the driver properly slammed on the brakes: … [D]efendants established their prima facie entitlement […]

RESPONDENT CANDIDATE FOR THE NYS ASSEMBLY DID NOT DEMONSTRATE HE MAINTAINED A RESIDENCE IN NEW YORK FOR FIVE YEARS; PETITIONERS’ APPLICATION TO INVALIDATE RESPONDENT’S CANDIDACY SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined respondent, a candidate for the NYS Assembly, did not establish he maintained a residence in New York for five years. Therefore the petitioners’ application to invalidate respondent’s candidacy should have been granted: Petitioners brought this proceeding pursuant to Election Law § 16-102 to declare invalid the designating petitions […]

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THE STATEMENTS MADE ABOUT PLAINTIFF WERE PROTECTED BY QUALIFIED PRIVILEGE; PLAINTIFF WAS UNABLE TO SHOW THE STATEMENTS WERE MOTIVATED SOLELY BY MALICE; THE DEFAMATION ACTION WAS PROPERLY DISMISSED (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined plaintiff’s defamation action was properly dismissed. Plaintiff was accused by a fellow library board member, Hoag, of misappropriating over $20,000 in library funds. A criminal investigation uncovered no wrongdoing and plaintiff brought the defamation suit. The defamatory statements were protected by a qualified privilege because Hoag had an interest in the […]

MISBEHAVIOR CHARGES BASED UPON ITEMS ALLEGEDLY FOUND DURING A SEARCH OF PETITIONER’S CELL CONDUCTED WHEN THE PETITIONER WAS NOT PRESENT ANNULLED AND EXPUNGED (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department annulled the findings of guilt on possessing a weapon and possessing an altered item because defendant was not present during all of the search of his cell before the weapon was discovered: … [W]ith respect to the charges of possessing a weapon and possessing an altered item, the Attorney General concedes, and […]

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AFTER CONVERTING THE ARTICLE 78 PETITION TO A COMPLAINT THE JUDGE SHOULD NOT HAVE TREATED THE MOTION TO DISMISS AS A SUMMARY JUDGMENT MOTION WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE PARTIES (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the judge, after converting the article 78 petition to a complaint, should not have, sua sponte, dismissed the complaint without notifying the parties: … [T]he Supreme Court denied the Comptroller’s motion to dismiss, and, pursuant to CPLR 103(c), converted the article 78 petition into a complaint asserting a […]

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THE EXCESS INSURANCE CARRIER WAS NOT BARRED FROM RECOVERY OF THE AMOUNT IT CONTRIBUTED TO THE SETTLEMENT OF A PERSONAL INJURY ACTION BY THE VOLUNTARY PAYMENT DOCTRINE; THE EXCESS INSURANCE CARRIER’S BREACH-OF-THE-COVENANT-OF-GOOD-FAITH ACTION AGAINST THE PRIMARY CARRIER PROPERLY SURVIVED SUMMARY JUDGMENT (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined the excess insurance carrier, MetLife, could maintain an action against the primary liability carrier, GEICO, for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, alleging bad faith. GEICO  unsuccessfully argued the voluntary payment doctrine barred MetLife from recovering the amount it contributed to the settlement of the personal injury action […]

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SUPREME COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE DISMISSED THIS DENTAL MALPRACTICE ACTION ON THE GROUND THE PLAINTIFFS’ EXPERT WAS NOT QUALIFIED TO RENDER AN OPINION; ANY WEAKNESSES IN THE EXPERT’S AFFIDAVIT WENT TO ITS WEIGHT NOT ITS ADMISSIBILITY (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined this dental malpractice action should not have been dismissed. The weaknesses in plaintiffs’ expert’s affidavit went to the weight of her opinion as evidence, not its admissibility: The Supreme Court granted that branch of the motion, determining that the defendant demonstrated his prima facie entitlement to judgment as […]

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ORDER PROHIBITING DEFENDANT HUSBAND FROM DISPARAGING PLAINTIFF WIFE TO THIRD PARTIES WAS AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL PRIOR RESTRAINT OF SPEECH; ORDER SHOULD BE MODIFIED TO PROHIBIT DISPARAGING PLAINTIFF TO PLAINTIFF’S PATIENTS (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the order issued in this divorce proceeding prohibiting defendant husband from discussing, demeaning or disparaging plaintiff wife to third parties was an unconstitutional prior restraint of speech. Plaintiff, a psychologist, wanted to prohibit defendant from talking to her patients. The Second Department held the order should be […]

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THE STATE HAS NOT PREEMPTED A MUNICIPALITY’S ABILITY TO REGULATE THE PROCESSING OF WASTE; THEREFORE, EVEN THOUGH THE STATE HAD ISSUED A PERMIT ALLOWING THE PROCESSING OF 500 TONS OF WASTE PER DAY, THE VILLAGE’S ACTION FOR A PERMANENT INJUNCTION REDUCING THE ALLOWED AMOUNT OF WASTE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the village’s request for a preliminary injunction limiting the amount of waste that could be processed by defendant recycling company was properly denied, but the action seeking a permanent injunction should not have been dismissed. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) had issued a temporary emergency permit allowing […]

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