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Entries by Bruce Freeman

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PLAINTIFF-PASSENGER DID NOT RAISE A QUESTION OF FACT ABOUT DEFENDANT-DRIVER’S NEGLIGENCE; DEFENDANT-DRIVER WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND WHEN HE STOPPED QUICKLY AFTER AN SUV MERGED INTO DEFENDANT’S LANE (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, over a dissent, determined plaintiff-passenger did not raise a question of fact about defendant-driver’s negligence in this traffic accident case. Plaintiff alleged defendant failed to keep a proper lookout when an SUV merged into defendant’s lane and stopped. Defendant was able to stop without hitting the SUV but was struck from behind […]

A GENEALOGICAL ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION’S FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW REQUEST FOR MARRIAGE RECORDS FROM 1967 THROUGH 2017 PROPERLY DENIED ON ‘INVASION OF PRIVACY’ GROUNDS (THIRD DEPT).

The  Third Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Colangelo, after a comprehensive analysis, determined the respondent NYS Department of Health properly refused petitioners’ request for records of marriages between 1967 and 2017 based upon “invasion of privacy” concerns. The petitioners are a “genealogical advocacy organization” and its officers seeking to add the marriage records […]

CLAIMANT, IN HIS APPLICATION FOR BOARD REVIEW, DID NOT SPECIFY WHEN THE OBJECTION SUBJECT TO BOARD REVIEW WAS MADE; THEREFORE THE BOARD PROPERLY DENIED REVIEW OF THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION LAW JUDGE’S DECISION (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined the Workers’ Compensation Board properly rejected claimant’s application for review because the question “when” the objection subject to review was made was not answered: When claimant filed his application for Board review in September 2018, both the relevant version of form RB-89 and the corresponding instructions then in effect required an […]

CLAIMANT’S INJURIES DID NOT ARISE OUT OF HIS EMPLOYMENT; CLAIMANT WAS STRUCK BY A CAR CROSSING THE STREET IN FRONT OF HIS PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined claimant’s injury did not arise out of his employment and he was not entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Claimant was struck by a car in front of his place of employment: Generally, “accidents that occur outside of work hours and in public areas away from the workplace are not compensable” … […]

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THE MOTION COURT APPLIED THE WRONG CRITERIA WHEN RULING ON WHETHER THE DEFENDANT WAS PREJUDICED BY THE ALLEGED INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL; DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO VACATE HIS CONVICTION BASED UPON DEFENSE COUNSEL’S ALLEGED FAILURE TO INFORM HIM OF THE DEPORTATION CONSEQUENCES OF HIS GUILTY PLEA SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DENIED WITHOUT A HEARING; ASSESSING DEFENDANT’S CHANCES AT TRIAL IS NOT THE PROPER ANALYSIS (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Renwick, over a dissent, determined the motion court applied the wrong criteria for assessing whether the defendant was prejudiced by the alleged ineffective assistance of counsel. Defendant moved to vacate his conviction, alleging defense counsel did not inform him of the deportation consequences of […]

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THE INFORMATION SUFFICIENTLY ALLEGED THE ELEMENTS OF OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT; THE ‘OBTAIN A BENEFIT’ ELEMENT OF THE OFFENSE CAN BE INFERRED FROM THE OTHER ALLEGATIONS (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals determined the information charging defendant with official misconduct in violation of Penal Law section 195 was not jurisdictionally defective because the “obtain a benefit” element of the offense could be inferred from the allegations. The defendant, an alcohol and substance abuse treatment program aide at a prison, was charged with the unauthorized provision of […]

THE OMISSION OF THE TIME AND PLACE OF THE OFFENSE FROM THE SUPERIOR COURT INFORMATION WAS NOT A JURISDICTIONAL DEFECT AND ANY ERRORS WERE FORFEITED BY THE GUILTY PLEA (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined that the failure to include the time and place of the crime in the superior court information (SCI) was not a jurisdictional defect and any errors were forfeited by the guilty plea: … [D]efendant contends that the waiver of indictment and SCI omitted essential information required by CPL 195.20, rendering the […]

THE PARTIES DID NOT AGREE THAT THE INITIAL ‘PARTIAL’ ARBITRATION AWARD WAS A FINAL AWARD; THEREFORE THE ARBITRATORS HAD THE AUTHORITY TO REVISIT THE MATTER AND ISSUE A VALID FINAL AWARD (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Stein, reversing the Appellate Division, determined the arbitrators had the power to revisit a “partial final award” and issue a valid final award. The Appellate Division had held the doctrine of functus officio prohibited the arbitrators from revisiting the initial award: … [T]he Appellate Division […]

CPL 300.40 (3) (b), WHICH REQUIRES DISMISSAL OF INCLUSORY CONCURRENT COUNTS, APPLIES ONLY TO VERDICTS AFTER TRIAL, NOT TO GUILTY PLEAS (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined that Criminal Procedure Law 300.40 (3) (b), which requires dismissal of inclusory concurrent counts, applies only to verdicts after trial and not to cases resolved by guilty plea. Defendant confessed to killing a mother and daughter and he was charged with two counts of first degree murder and two counts of […]

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EXTRINSIC COLLATERAL DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED TO IMPEACH DEFENDANT DOCTOR’S CREDIBILITY IN THIS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE TRIAL; DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO SET ASIDE THE $400,000 VERDICT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court in this medical malpractice action, determined the defendant doctor’s motion to set aside the plaintiff’s $400,000 verdict should have been granted. The trial court should not have allowed extrinsic documentary evidence on collateral matters to impeach defendant’s credibility: “A motion pursuant to CPLR 4404(a) to set aside a verdict and […]

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