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Entries by Bruce Freeman

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DEFENDANT FAILED TO DEMONSTRATE IT DID NOT HAVE CONSTRUCTIVE NOTICE OF THE BROKEN CURB WHICH ALLEGEDLY CAUSED PLAINTIFF’S SLIP AND FALL; DEFENDANT’S SUMMARY JUDGMENT MOTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant did not demonstrate it did not have constructive notice of the broken curb which allegedly caused plaintiff’s slip and fall: … [T]he defendants failed to meet this burden. In support of their motion, among other things, they proffered the affidavit of the director of engineering of Mount […]

UNDER CALIFORNIA LAW A CONTRACT WITH MUTUAL CANCELLATION CLAUSES IS VALID; THEREFORE THE CANCELLATION BY DEFENDANT WAS NOT A BREACH OF THE CONTRACT OR THE COVENANT OF GOOD FAITH (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the contract, which required the application of California law, and which included mutual cancellation clauses, was valid. Therefore cancellation by the defendant was not a breach of the contract or the covenant of good faith: Contrary to the plaintiff’s contention, the terms of the agreement in this case […]

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JUDGE SHOULD NOT HAVE SEARCHED THE RECORD AND, SUA SPONTE, GRANTED RELIEF NOT REQUESTED IN THE MOTION PAPERS, INCLUDING THE APPLICATION OF THE RES IPSA LOQUITUR DOCTRINE (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the judge should not have, sua sponte, searched the record to grant relief that was not requested in this Labor Law 200, 240(1), 241(6), negligence action. Plaintiff was injured when a portion of a ceiling fell causing a scaffold to collapse on him. The judge should not […]

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ALTHOUGH THE SEARCH WARRANT WAS IMPROPERLY ADDRESSED TO THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP, WHICH INCLUDED PEACE OFFICERS AS OPPOSED TO POLICE OFFICERS, THE WARRANT WAS PROPERLY ADDRESSED TO POLICE OFFICERS AS WELL; THE PARTICIPATION OF PEACE OFFICERS IN THE SEARCH WAS LIMITED AND DID NOT INVALIDATE THE SEARCH (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined the fact that corrections officers (i.e., peace officers) participated in a search, along with police officers, did not invalidate the search: There is no dispute that the search warrant was properly addressed to police officers of the City of Middletown Police Department and police officers of the New York State Police […]

FATHER’S CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGATION DID NOT CEASE UPON MOTHER’S DEATH; MATERNAL GRANDFATHER’S PETITION SEEKING TO BE MADE THE CHILD-SUPPORT PAYEE RETROACTIVE TO MOTHER’S DEATH PROPERLY GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined father’s child support obligations did not cease upon the death of mother. The maternal grandparents were awarded sole custody of the child. The maternal grandfather’s petition seeking to be made the payee of father’s child support was properly granted, retroactive to the date of mother’s death: Since a child support obligation […]

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FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE SUMMARILY DISMISSED MOTHER’S PETITION FOR CUSTODY OF CHILDREN LIVING OUT-OF-STATE WITHOUT FIRST DETERMINING WHETHER IT HAD EXCLUSIVE, CONTINUING JURISDICTION OVER CUSTODY ISSUES (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined Family Court should not have dismissed mother’s petition seeking sole custody of the children, who lived out-of-state, without first making a ruling on whether it had continuing jurisdiction over custody issues: On November 22, 2016, the Family Court issued an order (hereinafter the custody order) awarding, inter alia, joint legal custody […]

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SALE OF LAND ORIGINALLY SET ASIDE FOR A CEMETERY WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS CONSTITUTED AN ABANDONMENT OF THE CEMETERY-RELATED USE-RESTRICTIONS ON THE LAND (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Connolly, determined the (1907) restrictions on land originally set aside for use as a cemetery had been abandoned (by the sale of the land in 1908) and the single-family residential zoning restrictions subsequently imposed on the land were enforceable, despite the repurchase of the land by […]

OBJECTIONS TO A DESIGNATING PETITION WERE NOT SERVED BY CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED MAIL AS REQUIRED BY THE ELECTION LAW AND WERE NOT TIMELY SERVED UNDER THE TERMS OF THE ELECTION LAW (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined service of objections to the Weinstock designating petition by express mail overnight was not the equivalent of service by registered or certified mail as required by the Election Law. The court also determined that the proceeding was not timely commenced: Although petitioners argue that express mail overnight is the “functional equivalent” of […]

FAILURE TO TIMELY FILE A CERTIFICATE OF ACCEPTANCE OF A DESIGNATION REQUIRED INVALIDATION OF THE DESIGNATING PETITION, NOTWITHSTANDING A REASONABLE EXPLANATION OF THE ONE-DAY-LATE MAILING DUE TO COVID-19 (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined the COVID-19 crisis did not excuse the late filing of a certificate of acceptance of a designation. The designating petition was properly invalidated: … [P]etitioner was required to file her certificate of acceptance of designation no later than March 24, 2020 (see Election Law § 6-158 [2]). Although petitioner completed the acceptance […]

TAKING A LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM A POSITION ON THE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO RUN FOR STATE SENATE IS NOT THE EQUIVALENT OF RESIGNING FROM THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY THE ELECTION LAW; THE DESIGNATING PETITION SHOULD HAVE BEEN INVALIDATED (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the designating petition of LaLota should have been invalidated under the provisions of the Election Law. LoLota was a Commissioner of the Suffolk County Board of Elections. He took a “leave of absence” from that position to allow him to seek office as a State Senator. The Second […]

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