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Entries by Bruce Freeman

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ALTHOUGH KERRY K WAS ORDERED RELEASED UNDER STRICT AND INTENSIVE SUPERVISION AND TREATMENT PURSUANT TO THE FIRST MENTAL HYGIENE LAW CIVIL COMMITMENT TRIAL, AFTER KERRY K’S SUCCESSFUL APPEAL HE WAS PROPERLY ORDERED RE-CONFINED PENDING THE SECOND TRIAL (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Chambers, determined Kerry K was properly ordered re-confined pending a retrial in this Mental Hygiene Law civil commitment proceeding. In the first trial Kerry K was not found to be a dangerous sex offender and was ordered released under strict and intensive supervision and treatment (SIST). […]

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A COUNTY SHERIFF WAS INVOLVED IN THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT FOR WHICH PETITIONER SOUGHT LEAVE TO FILE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM; BECAUSE THE COUNTY WAS AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL ACTION FROM THE OUTSET, LEAVE WAS PROPERLY GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

Petitioner state trooper was involved in a traffic accident with a county sheriff and sought to file a late notice of claim against the county. The county was aware of the potential claim from the outset, because a county employee was involved. Therefore leave to file a late notice of claim was properly granted: Although a […]

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THE TERMINATED SCHOOL EMPLOYEE’S PETITION FOR REINSTATEMENT WAS PROPERLY DISMISSED FOR FAILURE TO TIMELY SERVE A NOTICE OF CLAIM AS REQUIRED BY THE EDUCATION LAW; ALTHOUGH PETITIONER NOTIFIED THE SCHOOL DISTRICT’S SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WAS AWARE OF THE ACTION, FAILURE TO SERVE THE BOARD WAS A FATAL DEFECT (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined the terminated school-district employee’s petition seeking reinstatement was properly dismissed because notice of the action was served on the school district’s superintendent, not the board of education as required by the Education Law: … [T]he petitioner failed to present his purported notice of claim to the governing body, namely, the Board […]

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THE POLICE REPORT WHICH INCLUDED THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER OF THE CAR ALLEGED TO HAVE FLED THE SCENE OF THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WAS INADMISSIBLE HEARSAY; HOWEVER, OTHER EVIDENCE, INCLUDING THE TESTIMONY OF THE DRIVER OF THE CAR WHICH WAS STRUCK, SUFFICIENTLY IDENTIFIED THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER AND THE CAR (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined the uninsured motorist carrier’s petitions to permanently stay arbitration in this car-accident case were properly granted because the identity of the owner of the car which fled the scene (Zeno) was adequately demonstrated. Although the police report which included the license plate number of the car alleged to have fled the […]

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A 2009 AMENDED COMPLAINT SERVED WITHOUT THE REQUIRED LEAVE OF COURT, ALTHOUGH INVALID AS A PLEADING, RE-ACCELERATED THE MORTGAGE DEBT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, RENDERING THE ACTION TIME-BARRED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the mortgage debt had been re-accelerated by an amended complaint in 2009, rendering the instant foreclosure action time-barred: … [T]he defendants also submitted the supplemental summons and amended complaint filed on July 13, 2009, in the 2005 action. In the amended complaint, PCG elected to re-accelerate the debt, […]

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THE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS OF REAL PROPERTY ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS LAW (RPAPL) 1304 WERE NOT PROVEN; THE BANK’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the plaintiff bank did not demonstrate compliance with the notice requirements of Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law (RPAPL) 1304 in this foreclosure action: … [T]he plaintiff submitted, inter alia, the affidavit of Sherry W. McManus, a Vice President of Loan Documentation for the plaintiff. Although McManus stated […]

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INSTRUCTING THE JURY ON THE BURDEN OF PROOF IN THIS DAMAGES-ONLY PERSONAL INJURY TRIAL SHIFTED THE BURDEN OF PROOF; $5,500,000 VERDICT SET ASIDE AND NEW TRIAL ORDERED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, ordering a new trial in this personal injury action which had resulted in a $5,500,000 verdict, determined the “burden of proof” jury instruction should not have been given in this damages-only trial: … [T]he defendants contend … that the verdict and judgment must be set aside on the ground that they were […]

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PLAINTIFF’S TREATING PHYSICIAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE FOR CROSS-EXAMINATION BY THE DEFENDANT IN THIS INQUEST ON DAMAGES; ALTHOUGH DEFENDANT DEFAULTED ON LIABILITY IN THIS PERSONAL INJURY ACTION, DEFENDANT APPEARED FOR THE INQUEST (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the injured plaintiff’s (Castaldini’s) treating physician should have been made available for cross-examination by defendant at the inquest on damages. Defendant had defaulted on liability but appeared at the inquest. Supreme Court accepted an affidavit from the doctor to prove damages. The court noted that causation of the […]

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SUPREME COURT PROPERLY LIMITED THE DEPOSITION QUESTIONING OF A DOCTOR IN THIS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ACTION AND PROPERLY ORDERED THAT THE DEPOSITION BE SUPERVISED BECAUSE OF MISCONDUCT ON BOTH SIDES DURING A PRIOR DEPOSITION (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, over an extensive dissent, determined Supreme Court properly issued a protective order limiting the deposition questioning of a doctor (Brem) in this medical malpractice action and properly ordered that the deposition be supervised. Both sides had engaged in misconduct at the prior deposition: … [T]he Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in granting […]

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AN AUTOMATIC OVERRIDE ALLOWING A LEVEL THREE RISK ASSESSMENT WAS PROPERLY APPLIED TO A PSYCHOLOGICAL ABNORMALITY NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THE SORA RISK LEVEL GUIDELINES (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Maltese, determined the automatic override justifying a level three risk level was properly based upon a psychological abnormality not specifically mentioned in the risk assessment guidelines, but included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: In the Guidelines, the Board explained that it “chose to […]

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