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Entries by Bruce Freeman

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FAMILY COURT’S CONCLUSIONS IN THIS CUSTODY MATTER WERE NOT SUPPORTED BY THE RECORD, MATTER REMITTED FOR PROCEEDINGS BEFORE A DIFFERENT JUDGE (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Family Court, determined that the custody determinations were not supported by the record and remitted the matter for further proceedings before a different judge. The decision is too fact-specific to fairly summarize here: We agree with the mother that Family Court’s decision and order mischaracterizes and, at times, inaccurately reflects the […]

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RESPONDENT WAS NOT AFFORDED EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL IN THIS FAMILY OFFENSE PROCEEDING, DEFENSE COUNSEL DID ALMOST NOTHING TO ASSIST HIS CLIENT, FINDINGS AND ORDER OF PROTECTION REVERSED (THIRD DEPT). ​

The Third Department, reversing Family Court, determined that respondent did not receive effective assistance of counsel in this family offense proceeding: Petitioner filed a family offense petition alleging that respondent harassed and stalked her. … Viewing the record in its entirety, we agree with respondent’s argument that he was denied meaningful representation … .. Before […]

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TERMINATION OF FATHER’S VISITATION RIGHTS WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY A SOUND AND SUBSTANTIAL BASIS IN THE RECORD, WHICH INCLUDED HEARSAY (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Family Court, determined termination of father’s visitation was not supported by a sound and substantial basis in the record: It is undisputed that the father engaged in physical violence and verbal abuse directed at the mother. Although the record demonstrates strong support for a change in circumstances and supervised visitation, the […]

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AFTER REVERSAL BY THE COURT OF APPEALS, THE EXPULSION OF PETITIONER STUDENT FOR SEXUAL MISCONDUCT IN VIOLATION OF THE COLLEGE’S STUDENT CODE CONFIRMED, COLLEGE APPEALS BOARD HAD THE POWER TO IMPOSE ANY AVAILABLE REMEDY INCLUDING EXPULSION (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, after a reversal by the Court of Appeals, confirmed the college’s determination to expel petitioner, a student accused of sexual misconduct in violation of the student code: … [T]he Court of Appeals agreed with us “that petitioner’s due process arguments were not preserved at the administrative level” … . To the extent that […]

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DEFENSE COUNSEL APOLOGIZED TO COUNTY COURT AND INDICATED DEFENSE COUNSEL’S BEHAVIOR MAY HAVE CAUSED THE PEOPLE TO HAVE WITHDRAWN A MORE FAVORABLE PLEA OFFER, COUNTY COURT SHOULD HAVE ASSIGNED SUBSTITUTE COUNSEL AND SHOULD HAVE CONDUCTED AN INQUIRY TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE COMPELLED TO REOFFER THE PRIOR PLEA DEAL (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing County Court, determined County Court should have inquired into defense counsel’s apology for his behavior which may have caused the People to withdraw a more favorable plea offer: County Court failed to take appropriate action in response to defense counsel’s disclosures. Initially, County Court failed to recognize that defense counsel’s statements […]

NEW JERSEY FORGED INSTRUMENT CONVICTION WAS NOT THE EQUIVALENT OF A NEW YORK FELONY AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE BASIS OF SECOND FELONY OFFENDER STATUS (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Renwick, ordering the resentencing of defendant, determined the defendant’s prior New Jersey forged instrument conviction was not the equivalent of a New York felony and therefore could not be the basis of second felony offender status: The first mens rea element of both New York and New […]

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JURY SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO CONSIDER A LESSER INCLUDED OFFENSE AND AN ADVERSE INFERENCE INSTRUCTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN CONCERNING SURVEILLANCE PHOTOS DESTROYED BY THE POLICE, CONVICTION REVERSED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing defendant’s conviction, determined the jury should have been instructed to consider a lesser included offense and an adverse inference instruction should have been given concerning photographs destroyed by the police: The court’s first-degree robbery charge, consistent with the indictment, required the People to prove that defendant used or threatened to use […]

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INFANT PLAINTIFF WAS INJURED DURING RECESS WHEN, PLAYING FOOTBALL OUTSIDE THE DESIGNATED FOOTBALL AREA, HE DOVE FOR THE BALL AND STRUCK A PIECE OF PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined that the school district’s motion for summary judgment in this negligent supervision, student injury case should not have been granted. Infant plaintiff was playing touch football during recess in a designated area near the playground. The student was injured when, outside the designated area, he dove to catch […]

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DEFENDANT HAD PLED GUILTY TO SCALDING A DISABLED CHILD BY BATHING HER IN WATER THAT WAS TOO HOT, AT THE SUBSEQUENT CIVIL TRIAL DEFENDANT WAS ALLOWED TO CROSS-EXAMINE PLAINTIFF’S EXPERTS ABOUT THE EVIDENCE THAT THE CHILD SUFFERED AN ALLERGIC REACTION AND HAD NOT BEEN SCALDED, THE DEFENSE VERDICT WAS AFFIRMED, PLAINTIFF’S MOTION IN LIMINE REQUESTING THAT THE GUILTY PLEA BE GIVEN COLLATERAL ESTOPPEL EFFECT AND THAT THE PLAINTIFF BE PRECLUDED FROM PRESENTING EVIDENCE OF THE ALLERGIC REACTION WAS ACTUALLY AN UNTIMELY SUMMARY JUDGMENT MOTION, DESPITE SUPREME COURT’S GRANTING OF THE MOTION, THE DEFENSE VERDICT MAKES ANY FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF THE ERROR UNNECESSARY (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department affirmed the defense jury verdict in a case preceded by defendant’s guilty plea to endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person. It was alleged that defendant (Tiger), a nurse, scalded a 10-year-old severely disabled child (Alejandra) by bathing the child in hot water. After defendant pled guilty she moved […]

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CRITERIA FOR INTERPRETING AN EXPRESS EASEMENT AND A PRESCRIPTIVE EASEMENT EXPLAINED, PARTY PROPERLY SANCTIONED FOR COUNSEL’S FILING AN AMENDED COMPLAINT DIFFERENT FROM THE COMPLAINT APPROVED BY THE COURT (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined that neither plaintiff nor defendants were entitled to summary judgment in this dispute over an plaintiff’s ingress and egress easement over defendants’ land. The court explained the criteria for interpretation of an express easement and a prescriptive easement. The court noted that plaintiff was properly sanctioned for her counsel’s conduct in […]

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