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BOTH THE WIFE AND THE JUDGE WERE AWARE OF THE HUSBAND’S MENTAL ILLNESS IN THIS DIVORCE ACTION IN WHICH THE HUSBAND WAS PRO SE; WHEN THE HUSBAND FAILED TO APPEAR FOR THE INQUEST AN INQUIRY INTO WHETHER A GUARDIAN AD LITEM SHOULD BE APPOINTED SHOULD HAVE BEEN HELD (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the judge should have conducted an inquiry into whether a guardian ad litem should be appointed for the husband in this divorce action. The husband did not appear at the inquest and both the wife and the judge were aware of the husband’s significant mental illness:

Judgment was entered in this divorce proceeding after the husband, pro se, failed to appear for an inquest. At the time of the inquest, both the wife and Supreme Court were aware that the husband had been diagnosed with a significant mental health condition, which resulted in episodes during which the husband was demonstrably unable to care for himself or otherwise protect his interests. Indeed, at the conclusion of the inquest, the court explicitly acknowledged that the husband’s absence was likely attributable to his mental health. Thus, before entering judgment upon the husband’s default, there should have been an inquiry into whether a guardian ad litem was necessary (see CPLR 1201, 1203 …). Because there was no inquiry, the judgment must be vacated and the matter remanded for further proceedings, including, if necessary, an inquiry into the husband’s current capacity … . Richard v Buck, 2022 NY Slip Op 03335, First Dept 5-19-22

Practice Point: Here both the wife and the judge in this divorce action were aware of the husband’s mental illness. When the husband, who was representing himself, did not appear at the inquest, an inquiry into whether a guardian ad litem should be appointed should have been made.

 

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SUPREME COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE REMOVED THE INCAPACITATED PERSON’S (IP’S) SON AS GUARDIAN OF THE PROPERTY WITHOUT HOLDING A TESTIMONIAL HEARING, CRITERIA FOR REMOVAL EXPLAINED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the judge should not have merely accepted the Court Examiner’s position that petitioner, the Incapacitated Person’s (IP’s) son, should be removed as guardian of the property. A hearing should have been held:

Petitioner interposed an answer in which he raised issues of law and fact. He claimed, in part, that some of his actions did not require further court order but were permissible under the original order appointing him as guardian. He also claimed that he obtained prior court approval, albeit in the informal manner (i.e. emails or phone calls) employed by the previous judge who was assigned to this matter. He also made credible arguments that the decisions he made benefitted, and did not harm, the IP’s estate … .

Rather than hold a testimonial hearing, Supreme Court simply accepted what the Court Examiner claimed in her motion and appointed a nonrelative successor guardian…. . …

We have long recognized that strangers will not be appointed either a guardian of the person or the property unless it is impossible to find someone within the family circle who is qualified to serve … . The preference for a relative may be overridden by a showing that the guardian-relative has rendered inadequate care to the IP, has an interest adverse to the IP or is otherwise unsuitable to exercise the powers necessary to assist the IP … . Moreover, the ultimate remedy of removal may be an abuse of discretion, where a guardian’s errors do not prejudice or harm the estate. The court should also consider whether other less drastic remedies, such as ordering compliance or reducing the Guardian’s compensation, would be appropriate. None of these considerations were addressed by the Supreme Court before removing petitioner…. . Matter of Roberts, 2022 NY Slip Op 03336, First Dept 5-19-22

Practice Point: Here Supreme Court improperly accepted the Court Examiner’s position and removed the Incapacitated Person’s (IP’s) son as guardian of the property without holding a hearing or making any findings. A full testimonial hearing, giving petitioner (the IP’s son) the opportunity to be heard, should have been held. The court noted that appointing a stranger as guardian is a last resort and that there are options, such as reducing a guardian’s compensation, which should be considered.

 

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PETITIONER DEMONSTRATED A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO TIMELY FILE AND SERVE HIS OPPOSITION PAPERS AND DEMONSTRATED A POTENTIALLY MERITORIOUS CAUSE OF ACTION; SUPREME COURT HAD REFUSED TO CONSIDER THE OPPOSITION PAPERS BEFORE ISSUING ITS ORDER DISMISSING THE PETITION; THE ORDER SHOULD HAVE BEEN VACATED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined petitioner’s motion to vacate an order dismissing the petition issued after Supreme Court refused to consider petitioner’s opposition papers should have been granted. Petitioner had made a good faith effort to timely file and serve the papers and demonstrated a potentially meritorious cause of action:

The petitioner, who had until July 13, 2018, to submit opposition papers to the respondents’ motion, filed pro se opposition papers with the court on July 13, 2018. He failed, however, to properly serve the respondents with a copy of the opposition papers, or to provide the court with proper proof of service. Nonetheless, the petitioner did file with the court a defective affidavit of service, in which dates of service were blank and which was neither signed nor notarized. Moreover, a copy of the opposition papers that the petitioner had emailed to the respondents was later discovered in the “junk” email folder of the respondents’ counsel. “Clearly, the [petitioner] made a good faith, albeit unsuccessful, attempt to timely . . . respond to the motion,” and the court “should have considered the absence of any evidence that the [petitioner’s] default was intentional, made in bad faith, or with an intent to abandon the action” … .

… [T]he petitioner’s arguments in support of the amended petition demonstrate a potentially meritorious cause of action … . Lastly, the respondents have “neither alleged nor established that [they] would be prejudiced by vacating the default and hearing the matter on the merits” … . Matter of Brennan v County of Rockland, 2022 NY Slip Op 03240, Second Dept 5-16-22

Practice Point: Here petitioner’s good faith effort to timely file and serve his opposition papers demonstrated he did not intend to abandon the action. Supreme Court should not have refused to consider his opposition papers before issuing its order dismissing the petition. The order should have been vacated.

 

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ABSENT “EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES,” A JUDGE DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO, SUA SPONTE, DISMISS A COMPLAINT (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the judge should not have, sua sponte, dismissed the complaint because there were no “extraordinary circumstances:”

The Supreme Court erred … in, sua sponte, directing dismissal of the complaint … . “‘A court’s power to dismiss a complaint, sua sponte, is to be used sparingly and only when extraordinary circumstances exist to warrant dismissal'” … . Here, although the plaintiff’s submissions were insufficient to demonstrate his entitlement to a default judgment, no extraordinary circumstances existed to warrant dismissal of the complaint … . Binder v Tolou Realty Assoc., Inc., 2022 NY Slip Op 03223, Second Dept 5-18-22

Practice Point: Absent so-called “extraordinary circumstances.” a judge does not have the authority to, sua sponte, dismiss a complaint. Here plaintiff’s evidence was not sufficient to support a default judgment, but that insufficiency did not justify dismissing the complaint.

 

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ALTHOUGH BAIL-SETTING IS NOT APPEALABLE, WHETHER THE BAIL-SETTING COURT COMPLIED WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL OR STATUTORY STANDARDS INHIBITING EXCESSIVE BAIL IS A PROPER SUBJECT FOR A HABEAS CORPUS PETITION; HERE THE BAIL-SETTNG COURT DID NOT COMPLY WITH CPL 510.30; MATTER REMITTED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, remitting the matter, determined that, although bail-setting is not appealable, the habeas corpus petition was the proper vehicle for a review of whether the constitutional or statutory standards inhibiting excessive bail were met. Here it was alleged the bail-setting court did not comply with CPL 510.30 by explaining its finding that remand was the least restrictive option:

… [A]fter considering all of the relevant factors under CPL 510.30 (1), the bail-setting court determined that remand was the least restrictive condition. We conclude that the bail-setting court failed to comply with the statutory mandate of CPL 510.10 (1) because it failed to “explain its choice of release, release with conditions, bail or remand on the record or in writing.” We therefore reverse the judgment, reinstate the petition, and grant the petition in part, and we remit the matter to the bail-setting court for further proceedings to satisfy the requirements of CPL 510.10 (1) … . People ex rel. Steinagle v Howard, 2022 NY Slip Op 02901, Fourth Dept 4-29-22

Practice Point: Although bail-setting is not appealable, a habeas corpus petition can be used to argue the bail-setting court did not comply with the constitutional or statutory standards inhibiting excessive bail. Here the court’s failure to explain its choice to remand the defendant violated CPL 510.30.

 

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A PROSECUTION WITNESS’S WRITTEN STATEMENT DID NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR PAST RECOLLECTION RECORDED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED; THE JUDGE’S USE OF THE PHRASE “POTENTIALLY AIDS” INSTEAD OF “INTENTIONALLY AIDS” IN THE ACCOMPLICE LIABILITY JURY INSTRUCTION PREJUDICED THE DEFENDANT; ALTHOUGH THE JURY INSTRUCTION ERROR WAS NOT PRESERVED, THE ISSUE WAS CONSIDERED IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing defendant’s conviction and ordering a new trial, determined: (1) a written statement by a prosecution witness should not have been admitted as “past recollection recorded;” and (2) the jury instruction on accomplice liability prejudiced defendant. The jury-instruction error was not preserved but was considered in the interest of justice:

“The foundational requirements for the admissibility of a past recollection recorded are: (1) the witness must have observed the matter recorded; (2) the recollection must have been fairly fresh at the time when it was recorded; (3) the witness must currently be able to testify that the record is a correct representation of his or her knowledge and recollection at the time it was made; and (4) the witness must lack sufficient present recollection of the information recorded”  … . ,,,

… [T]he prosecution witness in question did not testify that his written statement accurately represented his knowledge and recollection when made. To the contrary, the witness testified that the statement was not accurate when given because he was under the influence of narcotics at that time … . Moreover, because the statement was made more than six months after the alleged events recorded therein, the recollection was not “fairly fresh” when recorded … . …

Penal Law § 20.00 provides that a “person is criminally liable for [the conduct of another] when, acting with the mental culpability required for the commission thereof, he solicits, requests, commands, importunes, or intentionally aids such person to engage in such conduct” ,,, . … [W]e conclude that the court’s use of the phrase “potentially aids” rather than “intentionally aids” significantly prejudiced defendant, who was alleged to have aided and abetted the principal by driving him to and from the crime scene…. . People v Gardner, 2022 NY Slip Op 02911, Fourth Dept 4-29-22

Practice Point: Here the written statement did not meet the criteria for admissibility as past recollection recorded. The witness testified the statement was not accurate when given because he was high and the statement was not “fresh” because it was made six months after the events described in it.

 

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DEFENDANT WAS CONVICTED OF ASSAULT THIRD BASED UPON HIS LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR AND CRASHING, INJURING A PASSENGER; THE “CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE” ELEMENT OF ASSAULT THIRD WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE EVIDENCE; CONVICTION REVERSED UNDER A “WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE” ANALYSIS (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing defendant’s conviction and dismissing the indictment, determined the criminal-negligence element of assault third was not proven. Defendant was driving with a passenger when he crossed into the oncoming lane, pulled back into his lane, lost control and crashed, injuring the passenger:

In cases involving criminal negligence arising out of automobile accidents involving excess rates of speed, such as here, “it takes some additional affirmative act by the defendant to transform ‘speeding’ into ‘dangerous speeding’ ” … . With respect to the issue of defendant’s rate of speed, the trial testimony from the prosecution’s expert witness that defendant was driving at the excessive speed of approximately 92 miles per hour at the time of the incident was speculative … . The expert’s calculation of the vehicle’s speed was based on the assumption of “100 percent braking,” but there was no evidence that defendant braked at all before his vehicle collided with the mailbox, tree and utility pole and came to a stop. Moreover, the People’s version of the events, that defendant deliberately attempted to “flatten out the curve” by crossing the double line of the curve, does not rise to the level of moral blameworthiness to constitute criminal negligence … . People v Palombi, 2022 NY Slip Op 02896, Fourth Dept 4-29-22

Practice Point: In the context of an assault third charge alleging a car accident was the result of defendant’s “criminal negligence,” proof of speeding, as opposed to proof of “dangerous speeding,” will not support a conviction. This case is a good example of “legally sufficient evidence” resulting in a conviction which is determined on appeal to be “against the weight of the evidence.” The expert evidence presented to show the speed at which defendant was driving was speculative and based upon an unproved assumption. That evidence was deemed too weak to support a conviction, thereby rendering the conviction “against the weight of the evidence.”

 

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TO FACILITATE APPELLATE REVIEW THE JUDGE WHO AWARDED PLAINTIFFS SUMMARY JUDGMENT, ATTORNEY’S FEES AND COSTS SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN A DECISION EXPLAINING THE BURDENS OF PROOF AND REASONING; ISSUING ORDERS WITHOUT AN EXPLANATORY DECISION IS AN “UNACCEPTABLE PRACTICE;” PLAINTIFFS DID NOT SHOW THEIR INTERPRETATION OF THE CONTRACT WAS THE ONLY REASONABLE ONE; THE FRAUDULENT MISREPRESENTATION CAUSE OF ACTION CANNOT BE BASED UPON AN ALLEGED INTENT TO BREACH THE CONTRACT AND WAS NOT SUFFICIENTLY PLED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined (1) to facilitate appellate review, the court should have written a decision explaining the burdens of proof and its reasoning in granting plaintiffs summary judgment and awarding attorney’s fees and costs; (2)  the plaintiffs did not demonstrate the contract was unambiguous and therefore were not entitled to summary judgment on the breach of contract claims; and (3) summary judgment should not have been awarded on plaintiffs’ fraudulent misrepresentation cause of action. A fraudulent misrepresentation cause of action cannot be based upon an alleged intent to breach a contract:

Although the court granted plaintiffs’ motion insofar as it sought summary judgment, it failed to address the burdens of proof or any specific cause of action. In addition, the court awarded costs and attorneys’ fees without providing the basis therefor. As noted, this case involved a motion for summary judgment and for costs, attorneys’ fees, and sanctions, and the court chose not to write. This is an unacceptable practice … .. To maximize effective appellate review, we must remind our colleagues in the trial courts to provide their reasoning instead of simply issuing orders.  …

… [P]laintiffs did not meet their initial burden on those parts of the motion seeking summary judgment … inasmuch as plaintiffs failed to submit sufficient evidence to establish that their interpretation of the relevant contracts is the only reasonable interpretation thereof. …

… “[F]ar from being collateral to the contract, the purported misrepresentation was directly related to a specific provision of the contract” … .. In addition, CPLR 3016 (b) provides that, “[w]here a cause of action . . . is based upon . . . fraud, the circumstances constituting the wrong shall be stated in detail,” and we conclude that the cause of action here failed to satisfy that requirement … . Wilsey v 7203 Rawson Rd., LLC, 2022 NY Slip Op 02905, Fourth Dept 4-29-22

Practice Point: Here not only was the judge wrong to award plaintiffs summary judgment, attorney’s fees and costs on the breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation causes of act, but the judge made appellate review difficult by issuing orders without a decision explaining the burdens of proof and reasoning, characterized as an “unacceptable practice” by the Fourth Department.

 

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MOTHER WAS ENTITLED TO A HEARING ON HER CLAIM SHE ADMITTED TO PERMANENT NEGLECT BECAUSE HER COUNSEL WAS INEFFECTIVE; MOTHER ALLEGED COUNSEL DID NOT INFORM HER OF THE RELEVANT BURDENS OF PROOF AT TRIAL (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined mother was entitled to a hearing on whether her counsel was ineffective in failing to inform her of the applicable burdens of proof and in allowing her to admit to permanent neglect:

 “‘A respondent in a proceeding pursuant to Social Services Law § 384-b has the right to the assistance of counsel (see Family Ct Act § 262[a][iv]), which encompasses the right to the effective assistance of counsel'” … . “[T]he statutory right to counsel under Family Court Act § 262 affords protections equivalent to the constitutional standard of effective assistance of counsel afforded to defendants in criminal proceedings” … . Effective assistance is predicated on the standard of “meaningful representation” … .

… [M]other submitted an affidavit alleging that, prior to entering her admission to permanent neglect, counsel failed to inform her of the burden and standard of proof at trial and that she made the admission “because [she] was advised that it was necessary in order to have [her] children returned.” She further alleged that she “would not have made the statements that [she] made to the court if [she] had been fully advised of [her] rights.” The Family Court did not ameliorate these purported deficiencies in its colloquy with the mother, and also omitted any reference to the possible consequences of the finding, including termination of her parental rights … . Matter of Skylar P. J., 2022 NY Slip Op 02793, Second Dept 4-27-22

Practice Point: A party in a neglect proceeding has a right to effective assistance of counsel. Here mother was entitled to a hearing on her claim she would not have admitted to permanent neglect had she been informed of the relevant burdens of proof at trial.

 

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THE JUDGE’S INTERFERENCE IN AND RESTRICTIONS ON THE DEFENSE SUMMATION AND IMPROPER EXCLUSION AND ADMISSION OF EVIDENCE REQUIRED REVERSAL IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing defendant’s murder, assault and weapon-possession convictions in the interest of justice, determined the judge improperly restricted defense counsel’s summation and evidence submissions, and improperly allowed hearsay identification evidence which supported the People’s theory. Identification of the shooter was the key issue, and the eyewitness accounts were inconsistent and contradictory. The judge prohibited defense counsel from questioning the fairness of the identification procedure (line up) in summation and repeatedly interposed “objections” during the defense summation, in the absence of any objection by the prosecutor:

The Supreme Court’s limitation of the defendant’s cross-examination of the police witness and its sua sponte admonishments to defense counsel during summation improperly limited the defendant’s right to challenge the lineup procedures as unfair and suggestive … . Moreover, the court erred in informing the jury and the parties in front of the jury that it had already determined that the pretrial identification procedure was fair and not suggestive, and that the lineup was “constitutional,” wrongly intimating that those facts were not within the jury’s province to determine … . …

The Supreme Court also substantially impaired the defendant’s right “to make an effective closing argument” … through sua sponte “objection sustained” interruptions without any actual objection being posited by the People…. . …

The Supreme Court also erred in admitting into evidence the hearsay statement of an unidentified woman that a man “wearing all gray had the firearm” as an excited utterance exception to the hearsay rule … .. The record contained no evidence from which a trier of fact could reasonably infer that the statement was based on the woman’s personal observation … . …

… [T]he Supreme Court should have granted the defendant’s application to admit into evidence the photographs of the defendant and Cruzado [who was also at the scene] to allow the jury to compare their likenesses, since, under the circumstances of this case, such evidence was highly probative of the defense of third-party culpability and plainly outweighed any danger of delay, prejudice, and confusion … .People v Aponte, 2022 NY Slip Op 02813, Second Dept 4-27-22

Practice Point: In this case, where identification of the shooter was the central issue, the judge improperly prohibited defense counsel from questioning the fairness of the line-up procedure in summation. This and other substantial interference and evidentiary errors by the judge required reversal of the murder conviction in the interest of justice.

 

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