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Entries by Bruce Freeman

QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER PLAINTIFF, A YOUTH HOCKEY PLAYER INJURED BY A TIPPING BENCH IN THE LOCKER ROOM, WAS IN THE CUSTODY OF THE COACH OR HIS FATHER IN THIS NEGLIGENT SUPERVISION ACTION (THIRD DEPT). ​

The Third Department determined there was a question of fact whether plaintiff, a youth hockey player (Beninati), was in the custody and control of the coach or plaintiff’s father at the time he was injured falling off a tipping bench in the locker room: Where a child participates in an athletic activity, such as the […]

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ALTHOUGH PROOF OF THE STAIRWAY FALL CASE WAS ENTIRELY CIRCUMSTANTIAL BECAUSE OF PLAINTIFF’S DECEDENT’S DEATH, THE EVIDENCE WAS SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT THE PLAINTIFF’S VERDICT AND THE JURY WAS PROPERLY GIVEN THE NOSEWORTHY INSTRUCTION (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined defendant’s motion to set aside the verdict in this stairway-fall case was properly denied. Plaintiff’s decedent was found at the bottom of a deteriorating concrete exterior staircase and later died from his injuries. Although plaintiff’s decedent made some remarks to emergency personnel about the fall, he died before he could be […]

QUESTIONS OF FACT WHETHER THE PLACEMENT OF A PROPANE HEATER IN DEFENDANT’S STORE CREATED A DANGEROUS CONDITION AND WAS A PROXIMATE CAUSE OF PLAINTIFF’S CLOTHING CATCHING FIRE (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined the defendant lessee’s motion for summary judgment in this negligence action based upon the placement of a propane heater in defendant’s store was properly denied. Plaintiff’s clothing caught fire when she stood near the stove: … [P]laintiff relied upon a section of the then-applicable version of the Fuel Gas Code of […]

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CITY DID NOT VIOLATE THE PUBLIC USE DOCTRINE AND COMPLIED WITH THE EMINENT DOMAIN PROCEDURE LAW AND THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REVIEW ACT (SEQRA) IN APPROVING THE TAKING OF LAND FOR A BICYCLE-PEDESTRIAN TRAIL (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, in a comprehensive decision describing the relevant law and procedures, determined the city had complied with the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), the Eminent Domain Procedure Law and the prior public use doctrine in determining the taking of a strip of land for a bicycle-pedestrian trial would not have a significant […]

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NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WAS A NECESSARY PARTY TO THIS JAIL TIME CALCULATION PROCEEDING, ISSUE CAN BE RAISED FOR THE FIRST TIME ON APPEAL, MATTER REVERSED AND REMITTED (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the New York City Department of Corrections (NYCDOC) was a necessary party in this proceeding contesting a jail time credit calculation. Although the issue was not raised below, a necessary-party issue can be raised for the first time on appeal but may not be corrected by an appellate court: […]

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CITY ORDINANCE PROVISIONS REQUIRING A RENTAL PERMIT AND LIMITING OCCUPANCY OF RENTAL UNITS TO A “FAMILY” AS DEFINED IN THE ORDINANCE ARE NOT UNCONSTITUTIONAL (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined that municipal code provisions requiring a rental permit and limiting the occupancy of rental units to a “family” as defined in the code were not unconstitutionally vague: The record therefore reflects that the rental occupancy restriction was enacted to, among other things, serve a legitimate governmental interest in diminishing public nuisances […]

COMMUNITY GARDEN ASSOCIATION STATED A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR ADVERSE POSSESSION OF A LOT IN THE LOWER EAST SIDE OF MANHATTAN, THE PERIOD OF TIME THE LAND WAS USED BY THE ASSOCIATION BEFORE IT WAS INCORPORATED IN 2012 WAS PROPERLY TACKED ON (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Tom, over a concurring opinion, determined plaintiff (Garden) had stated a cause of action for adverse possession of a lot in lower Manhattan used since 1985 as the site of a community garden by an unincorporated association (which was later incorporated in 2012): In order to establish […]

FAILURE TO WARN CAUSE OF ACTION IN THIS PRODUCTS LIABILITY CASE PROPERLY SURVIVED SUMMARY JUDGMENT, PLAINTIFF’S CLOTHES CAUGHT FIRE WHEN SHE STOOD NEAR A PROPANE HEATER, QUESTIONS OF FACT WHETHER THE WARNING WAS ADEQUATE AND WHETHER FAILURE TO WARN WAS A PROXIMATE CAUSE (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined defendants’ motion for summary judgment on the “failure to warn” cause of action in this products liability case was properly denied. Plaintiff’s clothing caught fire when she stood near a propane heater manufactured and sold by defendants: Plaintiff submitted the pertinent ANSI standard for warning labels on unvented propane heaters, which […]

WAIVER OF INDICTMENT AND SUPERIOR COURT INFORMATION (SCI) WERE JURISDICTIONALLY DEFECTIVE, THE SCI DID NOT CONTAIN A CHARGE HELD FOR THE ACTION OF A GRAND JURY OR A LESSER INCLUDED OFFENSE (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing defendant’s plea to a superior court information (SCI), determined the SCI did not contain a charge held for the action of a grand jury or a lesser included offense. Therefore the SCI was jurisdictionally defective: … [T]he waiver of indictment and SCI were jurisdictionally defective because the crime charged in the […]

IT IS NOT REVERSIBLE ERROR FOR DEFENDANT TO NOT BE PRESENT AT A SIDEBAR WHICH RESULTS IN GRANTING A PEREMPTORY OR FOR CAUSE CHALLENGE TO A JUROR, AN ORDER OF PROTECTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR A FACT WITNESS WHO DID NOT ACTUALLY SEE THE SHOOTING (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department affirmed defendant’s conviction and noted (1) it is not reversible error if defendant is not present at a sidebar which results in the grant of a peremptory or for cause challenge to a juror, and (2) an order of protection cannot be issued on behalf of someone who did not actually witness […]

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