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THE FEDERAL OFFENSE WHICH SERVED AS A PREDICATE FOR DEFENDANT’S SECOND-FELONY-OFFENDER DESIGNATION DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT THE FIREARM INVOLVED BE OPERABLE; THE RELEVANT NEW YORK FELONY OFFENSE INCLUDES OPERABILITY AS AN ELEMENT; THEREFORE THE FEDERAL OFFENSE IS NOT A VALID PREDICATE OFFENSE (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, vacating defendant’s second-felony-offender designation, determined the federal crime constituting the predicate offense was not a felony in New York  One of the elements of the relevant New York felony was that the firearm involved in the offense be operable. That element was missing from the federal offense: “Penal Law § 70.06 requires […]

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DENYING FATHER’S REQUEST FOR AN ADJOURNMENT IN THIS CUSTODY MODIFICATION PROCEEDING EFFECTIVELY DEPRIVED HIM OF HIS RIGHT TO TESTIFY AND HIS RIGHT TO A FULL AND FAIR EVIDENTIARY HEARING (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined the court improvidently exercised its discretion when it denied father’s request for an adjournment of the custody modification proceedings. Father was effectively denied his right to testify: “The granting of an adjournment rests in the sound discretion of the hearing court upon a balanced consideration of all relevant […]

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BARE ALLEGATIONS THAT A SCHOOL KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN OF A TEACHER’S PROPENSITY TO ABUSE STUDENTS, UNSUPPORTED BY ANY FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS, ARE NOT ENOUGH TO STATE A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENCE OR NEGLIGENT RETENTION (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court in this Child Victims Act case against a school (Central Yeshiva), determined the complaint did not state causes of action for negligence or negligent retention of the teacher (Charitonov) who allegedly sexually abused the plaintiff. Bare allegations that the school knew or should have known of the teacher’s propensity […]

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WHERE THE ONLY RELIEF SOUGHT FOR BREACH OF FIDUCIARY DUTY IS MONEY DAMAGES, THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS IS THREE YEARS (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the “breach of fiduciary duty” cause of action was subject to a three-year, not a six-year, statute of limitations and was time-barred: “‘New York law does not provide a single statute of limitations for breach of fiduciary duty claims’” … . Rather, “[t]he statute of limitations for a […]

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WHERE PLAINTIFF HAS FAILED TO FILE A NOTE OF ISSUE BY A COURT-ORDERED DEADLINE, RESTORATION TO THE ACTIVE CALENDAR IS AUTOMATIC WHERE NO 90-DAY NOTICE HAD BEEN SERVED AND THERE HAD BEEN NO COURT-ORDERED DISMISSAL (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined plaintiff’s motion to restore the action to the active calendar should have been granted. Although plaintiff had failed to file a note of issue by the court-ordered deadline, no 90-day notice had been served nor had the court ordered dismissal of the action: “When a plaintiff has failed […]

THE TEN-YEAR LOOKBACK FOR A PERSISTENT VIOLENT FELONY OFFENDER DESIGNATION FOR SENTENCING PURPOSES IS TOLLED BY PRESENTENCE, AS WELL AS POST-SENTENCE, INCARCERATION (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Garcia, over an extensive two-judge dissenting opinion, determined the ten-year lookback for a persistent violent felony offender designation is tolled by any presentence period of incarceration: A person convicted of a violent felony offense is a “persistent violent felony offender” for sentencing purposes if that […]

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A MUNICIPALITY OWES A CHILD IT PLACES IN FOSTER CARE A SPECIAL DUTY SUCH THAT THE MUNICIPALITY CAN BE LIABLE FOR A NEGLIGENT PLACEMENT WHICH LEADS TO FORESEEABLE HARM TO THE CHILD (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, reversing the Appellate Division, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Troutman, over a two-judge dissenting opinion, determined a municipality owes a child placed in foster care a special duty, such that the municipality, although performing a governmental function, can be liable for negligent placement of a child: Today we hold that […]

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THE ETHICS COMMISSION REFORM ACT OF 2022, WHICH VESTS A COMMISSION WITH THE POWER TO INVESTIGATE AND ENFORCE ETHICS AND LOBBYING LAWS WITH RESPECT TO ELECTED OFFICIALS, EMPLOYEES OF THE LEGISLATURE, STATE OFFICERS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES, CURRENT AND FORMER CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, AND LOBBYISTS (AMONG OTHERS), DOES NOT VIOLATE THE SEPARATION OF POWERS DOCTRINE (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, reversing the Appellate Division, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Rivera, over a three-judge dissent, determined the Ethics Commission Reform Act of 2022 did not unconstitutionally vest the State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government with executive power. The Act is not unconstitutional: The issue on this appeal is whether, […]

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THE EVIDENCE WAS LEGALLY SUFFICIENT TO DEMONSTRATE DEFENDANT INTENDED TO STEAL TWO CANS OF RED BULL WHEN HE ENTERED THE CVS; THE DISSENT ARGUED THE EVIDENCE OF FELONY BURGLARY WAS LEGALLY INSUFFICIENT, NOTING THAT THE PROSECUTOR COULD HAVE CHARGED PETTY LARCENY OR TRESPASS, THEREBY SAVING THE STATE THE MILLION DOLLARS IT COST TO INCARCERATE THE HOMELESS, MENTALLY ILL AND DRUG-ADDICTED DEFENDANT FOR AN ATTEMPT TO STEAL ITEMS WORTH $6 (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals affirmed defendant’s burglary conviction rejecting the “legally insufficient evidence” argument. In a dissenting opinion, Judge Wilson (Judge Halligan concurring), argued the evidence was legally insufficient. Judge Wilson wrote “no evidence in the case could have led a jury to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Williams intended to steal the […]

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ALTHOUGH THIS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ACTION WAS IMPROPERLY BROUGHT AS AN ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE AND PETITION, IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED; RATHER IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONVERTED BY DEEMING THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE A SUMMONS AND THE PETITION A COMPLAINT; MATTER REMITTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined that the action should not have been dismissed because it was in the form of a proceeding rather than an action. Supreme Court should have converted the proceeding into the proper form: The petitioner commenced this purported proceeding by the filing of an order to show cause and […]

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