You are here: / Fourth Department

Tag Archive for: Fourth Department

,

DEFENSE COUNSEL DID NOT OBJECT TO THE COURT’S FAILURE TO INSTRUCT THE JURY DEFENDANT’S PRIOR CONVICTIONS COULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS EVIDENCE OF GUILT OF THE OFFENSE ON TRIAL, DEFENSE COUNSEL TOLD THE JURY THEIR JOB WAS TO SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH THEREBY DIMINISHING THE PEOPLE’S BURDEN OF PROOF, AND DEFENSE COUNSEL INDICATED TO THE JURY DEFENDANT HAD TEN PRIOR CONVICTIONS, DEFENDANT DID NOT RECEIVE EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing defendant’s conviction, determined the defendant did not receive effective assistance of counsel:

Defense counsel repeatedly stated to the jury during voir dire that the trial was to be “a search for the truth.” It is settled that a “prosecutor’s characterization of [a] trial as a search for the truth’ [is] indeed improper” … , inasmuch as it is a way of “proposing that the jury might convict even in the absence of proof beyond a reasonable doubt so long as the jury concluded that its verdict represented the truth” … . Here, by making that statement to the jury during voir dire then repeating it at least three times during summation, defense counsel improperly diminished the People’s burden of proof.

Furthermore, it is also well settled that, when a defendant testifies and is cross-examined regarding his prior convictions, he or she is entitled to have the court “charge the jury that such prior convictions could only be used in evaluating defendant’s credibility, and that they could not be used as evidence of defendant’s guilt”… . Here, counsel requested such a charge, the prosecutor conceded that the charge should be given, and the court agreed to give it. Nevertheless, the court’s instructions indicated that the jury may rely upon evidence of a previous conviction in evaluating the credibility of the witnesses, including defendant, but the court did not instruct the jury that they may not consider the prior conviction as evidence of defendant’s guilt. Defense counsel did not object or otherwise bring the omission to the court’s attention. …

Furthermore, defense counsel exacerbated the harmful impact of defendant’s prior convictions during the cross-examination of the People’s fingerprint expert by eliciting evidence that gave the impression that defendant had 10 or more prior arrests and/or convictions. People v Mccallum, 2018 NY Slip Op 04898, Fourth Dept 6-29-18

​CRIMINAL LAW (ATTORNEYS, INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE, DEFENSE COUNSEL DID NOT OBJECT TO THE COURT’S FAILURE TO INSTRUCT THE JURY DEFENDANT’S PRIOR CONVICTIONS COULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS EVIDENCE OF GUILT OF THE OFFENSE ON TRIAL, DEFENSE COUNSEL TOLD THE JURY THEIR JOB WAS TO SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH THEREBY DIMINISHING THE PEOPLE’S BURDEN OF PROOF, AND DEFENSE COUNSEL INDICATED TO THE JURY DEFENDANT HAD TEN PRIOR CONVICTIONS, DEFENDANT DID NOT RECEIVE EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE (FOURTH DEPT))/ATTORNEYS (CRIMINAL LAW, INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE, DEFENSE COUNSEL DID NOT OBJECT TO THE COURT’S FAILURE TO INSTRUCT THE JURY DEFENDANT’S PRIOR CONVICTIONS COULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS EVIDENCE OF GUILT OF THE OFFENSE ON TRIAL, DEFENSE COUNSEL TOLD THE JURY THEIR JOB WAS TO SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH THEREBY DIMINISHING THE PEOPLE’S BURDEN OF PROOF, AND DEFENSE COUNSEL INDICATED TO THE JURY DEFENDANT HAD TEN PRIOR CONVICTIONS, DEFENDANT DID NOT RECEIVE EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE (FOURTH DEPT))/INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL (CRIMINAL LAW, DEFENSE COUNSEL DID NOT OBJECT TO THE COURT’S FAILURE TO INSTRUCT THE JURY DEFENDANT’S PRIOR CONVICTIONS COULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS EVIDENCE OF GUILT OF THE OFFENSE ON TRIAL, DEFENSE COUNSEL TOLD THE JURY THEIR JOB WAS TO SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH THEREBY DIMINISHING THE PEOPLE’S BURDEN OF PROOF, AND DEFENSE COUNSEL INDICATED TO THE JURY DEFENDANT HAD TEN PRIOR CONVICTIONS, DEFENDANT DID NOT RECEIVE EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE (FOURTH DEPT))

ALTHOUGH THE DEFENDANT HOMEOWNERS ACTED AS A GENERAL CONTRACTOR, THEY DID NOT SUPERVISE OR CONTROL ANY OF THE WORK, HOMEOWNERS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON THE LABOR LAW 240 (1), 241 (6) AND 200 CAUSES OF ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the homeowners’ motion for summary judgment dismissing the Labor Law 240 (1), 241 (6) and 200 causes of action should have been granted. Although the homeowners acted as a general contractor, they did not supervise or control any of the work:

As the owners of a one-family dwelling who contracted for but did not direct or control the work, defendants are exempt from liability under Labor Law §§ 240 and 241 … . “Whether an owner’s conduct amounts to directing or controlling the work depends upon the degree of supervision exercised over the method and manner in which the work is performed” … . Here, although defendants acted as general contractors on the construction of their home by obtaining the necessary permits, purchasing roofing materials, and hiring contractors to perform the construction work, defendants met their initial burden of demonstrating that they did not supervise or control the method or manner of plaintiff’s work … . …

“Where[, as here,] the alleged defect or dangerous condition arises from the contractor’s methods and the owner exercises no supervisory control over the operation, no liability attaches to the owner under the common law or under Labor Law § 200” … . Bund v Higgins, 2018 NY Slip Op 04897, Fourth Dept 6-29-18

​LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW (ALTHOUGH THE DEFENDANT HOMEOWNERS ACTED AS A GENERAL CONTRACTOR, THEY DID NOT SUPERVISE OR CONTROL ANY OF THE WORK, HOMEOWNERS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON THE LABOR LAW 240 (1), 241 (6) AND 200 CAUSES OF ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT))/HOMEOWNERS (LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW, ALTHOUGH THE DEFENDANT HOMEOWNERS ACTED AS A GENERAL CONTRACTOR, THEY DID NOT SUPERVISE OR CONTROL ANY OF THE WORK, HOMEOWNERS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON THE LABOR LAW 240 (1), 241 (6) AND 200 CAUSES OF ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT))

,

A PARTNERSHIP CANNOT OPERATE THROUGH AN EXISTING CORPORATE STRUCTURE (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, noted that a partnership cannot operate through an existing corporate structure:

Plaintiffs operated a court reporting partnership from 1975 to 1999. Upon dissolution of the partnership, they agreed to consolidate their business with defendant, an existing court reporting corporation … . * * *

… [A] party “cannot recover on a claim that he [or she] and [another individual] entered into a joint venture to be set up and run through the corporate . . . structure” … . “[A]s a general rule, a partnership may not exist where the business is conducted in a corporate form, as each is governed by a separate body of law . . . Parties may not be partners between themselves while using the corporate shield to protect themselves against personal liability” … . Although that rule has been qualified “so as not to preclude members of a preexisting joint venture from acting as partners between themselves and as a corporation to the rest of the world,’ ” that qualification is inapplicable here because defendant [corporation]  was formed before the partnership was allegedly created by an oral agreement … . In other words, “there was no preexisting joint venture that later spawned the creation of a corporation in which aspects of the joint venture could survive” … . Bianchi v Midtown Reporting Serv., Inc., 2018 NY Slip Op 04895, Fourth Dept 6-28-18

​PARTNERSHIP LAW (A PARTNERSHIP CANNOT OPERATE THROUGH AN EXISTING CORPORATE STRUCTURE (FOURTH DEPT))/CORPORATION LAW (A PARTNERSHIP CANNOT OPERATE THROUGH AN EXISTING CORPORATE STRUCTURE (FOURTH DEPT))/JOINT VENTURES (A PARTNERSHIP CANNOT OPERATE THROUGH AN EXISTING CORPORATE STRUCTURE (FOURTH DEPT))

NUMEROUS FAILURES BY THE JUDGE TO FOLLOW THE PROTOCOL FOR BATSON CHALLENGES TO THE PROSECUTION’S ELIMINATION OF JURORS REQUIRED A NEW TRIAL, THE FOURTH DEPT NOTED THAT BATSON CHALLENGES MAY BE BASED UPON COLOR AS OPPOSED TO ETHNICITY, AND THE ETHNICITY OF THE DEFENDANT IS NOT A RELEVANT FACTOR IN A BATSON CHALLENGE (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing County Court, determined that the County Court judge did not follow the required steps and procedures for addressing defendant’s Batson challenges to the prosecution’s exercise of peremptory challenges. In one instance the judge indicated the prospective juror was “Carribean,” not “African American.” The Fourth Department noted that a Batson challenge may be based on color alone, as opposed to ethnicity. The County Court judge questioned another Batson challenge to an African-American prospective juror on the ground that the defendant was Caucasion. The Fourth Department pointed out that the race or ethnicity of a defendant is not relevant. Among the many problems cited by the Fourth Department:

When the prosecutor struck prospective juror number 13, defense counsel raised a Batson claim, asserting that the prospective juror had never been involved in the criminal justice system in any way and that she unequivocally stated that she could be fair and impartial. In response, the prosecutor explained that he struck prospective juror number 13 because she was in nursing school and stated on her juror questionnaire that she was going to school because she wanted to help people, which in the prosecutor’s view indicated that she may be sympathetic to defendant.

Instead of determining whether the race-neutral explanation offered by the prosecutor was pretextual, the court engaged defense counsel in an extended colloquy during which the court asked how defendant, as a Caucasian, could assert a Batson claim with respect to an African-American prospective juror. Defense counsel answered, correctly, that a defendant need not be the same race as the stricken prospective juror …. . …

We … conclude that, based on the court’s wholesale failure to comply with the Batson protocol with respect to multiple African-American prospective jurors who were the subject of peremptory challenges by the People, defendant is entitled to a new trial … . People v Pescara, 2018 NY Slip Op 04927, Fourth Dept 6-29-18

​CRIMINAL LAW (JURORS, BATSON CHALLENGE, NUMEROUS FAILURES BY THE JUDGE TO FOLLOW THE PROTOCOL FOR BATSON CHALLENGES TO THE PROSECUTION’S ELIMINATION OF JURORS REQUIRED A NEW TRIAL, THE FOURTH DEPARTMENT NOTED THAT BATSON CHALLENGES MAY BE BASED UPON COLOR AS OPPOSED TO ETHNICITY, AND THE ETHNICITY OF THE DEFENDANT IS NOT A RELEVANT FACTOR IN A BATSON CHALLENGE (FOURTH DEPT))/JURORS (CRIMINAL LAW, BATSON CHALLENGES, NUMEROUS FAILURES BY THE JUDGE TO FOLLOW THE PROTOCOL FOR BATSON CHALLENGES TO THE PROSECUTION’S ELIMINATION OF JURORS REQUIRED A NEW TRIAL, THE FOURTH DEPARTMENT NOTED THAT BATSON CHALLENGES MAY BE BASED UPON COLOR AS OPPOSED TO ETHNICITY, AND THE ETHNICITY OF THE DEFENDANT IS NOT A RELEVANT FACTOR IN A BATSON CHALLENGE (FOURTH DEPT))/BATSON CHALLENGES (CRIMINAL LAW, JURORS,  NUMEROUS FAILURES BY THE JUDGE TO FOLLOW THE PROTOCOL FOR BATSON CHALLENGES TO THE PROSECUTION’S ELIMINATION OF JURORS REQUIRED A NEW TRIAL, THE FOURTH DEPARTMENT NOTED THAT BATSON CHALLENGES MAY BE BASED UPON COLOR AS OPPOSED TO ETHNICITY, AND THE ETHNICITY OF THE DEFENDANT IS NOT A RELEVANT FACTOR IN A BATSON CHALLENGE (FOURTH DEPT))

JUROR MISCONDUCT, INCLUDING COMMUNICATIONS WITH THIRD PARTIES AND WEB BROWSING IN VIOLATION OF THE JUDGE’S ADMONITIONS, WARRANTED A NEW TRIAL IN THIS MURDER CASE (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, over a two-justice dissent, determined that juror misconduct warranted a new trial in this murder case:

We begin by noting that, at the hearing on the CPL 330.30 motion, defendant established that during the trial juror number 12 engaged in text messaging with third parties about the trial. Indeed, after being selected to serve on the jury, juror number 12 received a text message from her father that stated: “Make sure he’s guilty!” During the trial, juror number 12 received a text message from a friend asking if she had seen the “scary person” yet. Juror number 12 responded: “I’ve seen him since day 1.” … * * *

Forensic examination of her cell phone revealed that juror number 12 had selectively deleted scores of messages or parts thereof and that she had deleted her entire web browsing history. At the hearing, juror number 12 was unable to provide any explanation for why she had done that. * * *

We observe that, had this juror’s misconduct been discovered during voir dire or during the trial, rather than after the verdict, the weight of authority under CPL 270.35 would have compelled her discharge on the ground that she was grossly unqualified and/or had engaged in misconduct of a substantial nature … .  Here, due to juror number 12’s flagrant failure to follow the court’s instructions and her concealment of that substantial misconduct, defendant, through no fault of his own, was denied the opportunity to seek her discharge during trial on the ground that she was grossly unqualified and/or had engaged in substantial misconduct. People v Neulander, 2018 NY Slip Op 04925, Fourth Dept 6-29-18

​CRIMINAL LAW (JUROR MISCONDUCT, INCLUDING COMMUNICATIONS WITH THIRD PARTIES AND WEB BROWSING IN VIOLATION OF THE JUDGE’S ADMONITIONS, WARRANTED A NEW TRIAL IN THIS MURDER CASE (FOURTH DEPT))/JURORS (CRIMINAL LAW, (JUROR MISCONDUCT, INCLUDING COMMUNICATIONS WITH THIRD PARTIES AND WEB BROWSING IN VIOLATION OF THE JUDGE’S ADMONITIONS, WARRANTED A NEW TRIAL IN THIS MURDER CASE (FOURTH DEPT))

QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER STAIRWAY WHICH COLLAPSED WAS TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT, ONLY TEMPORARY STAIRWAYS ARE COVERED UNDER LABOR LAW 240 (1), QUESTIONS OF FACT WHETHER PROJECT MANAGER HAD SUFFICIENT SUPERVISORY CONTROL TO BE LIABLE UNDER LABOR LAW 240 (1), 241 (6) AND 200 (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department determined there was a question of fact whether the stairs which collapsed were temporary or permanent. If the stairs were temporary they would be considered the functional equivalent of a ladder and would be covered under Labor Law 240 (1). There was also a question of fact whether a project manager could be deemed a general contractor or agent of the owner with supervisory control and therefore potentially liable under Labor Law 240 (1) and 241 (6). There were also questions of fact whether the project manage was liable under Labor Law 200, depending on whether it had control over the work site or whether it had actual or constructive notice of the dangerous condition:

“A temporary staircase that is used for access to and from the upper levels of a house under construction is the functional equivalent of a ladder’ and falls within the designation of other devices’ within the meaning of Labor Law § 240 (1)” … . … “[I]t has repeatedly been held that a stairway which is, or is intended to be, permanent—even one that has not yet been anchored or secured in its designated location . . . , or completely constructed . . . —cannot be considered the functional equivalent of a ladder or other device as contemplated by section 240 (1)” … . …

” An entity is a contractor within the meaning of Labor Law § 240 (1) and § 241 (6) if it had the power to enforce safety standards and choose responsible subcontractors . . . , and an entity is a general contractor if, in addition thereto, it was responsible for coordinating and supervising the . . . project’ ” … . While a construction manager “is generally not considered a contractor’ or owner’ within the meaning of section 240 (1) or section 241” … , a construction manager may nevertheless be “vicariously liable as an agent of the property owner . . . where the manager had the ability to control the activity which brought about the injury” … . “The label given a defendant, whether construction manager’ or general contractor,’ is not determinative . . . [inasmuch as] the core inquiry is whether the defendant had the authority to supervise or control the activity bringing about the injury so as to enable it to avoid or correct the unsafe condition’ ” … . Stiegman v Barden & Robeson Corp., 2018 NY Slip Op 04865, Fourth Dept 6-29-18

​LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW (QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER STAIRWAY WHICH COLLAPSED WAS TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT, ONLY TEMPORARY STAIRWAYS ARE COVERED UNDER LABOR LAW 240 (1), QUESTIONS OF FACT WHETHER PROJECT MANAGER HAD SUFFICIENT SUPERVISORY CONTROL TO BE LIABLE UNDER LABOR LAW 240 (1), 241 (6) AND 200 (FOURTH DEPT))/STAIRWAYS (LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW (QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER STAIRWAY WHICH COLLAPSED WAS TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT, ONLY TEMPORARY STAIRWAYS ARE COVERED UNDER LABOR LAW 240 (1), QUESTIONS OF FACT WHETHER PROJECT MANAGER HAD SUFFICIENT SUPERVISORY CONTROL TO BE LIABLE UNDER LABOR LAW 240 (1), 241 (6) AND 200 (FOURTH DEPT))/PROJECT MANAGER (LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW, QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER STAIRWAY WHICH COLLAPSED WAS TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT, ONLY TEMPORARY STAIRWAYS ARE COVERED UNDER LABOR LAW 240 (1), QUESTIONS OF FACT WHETHER PROJECT MANAGER HAD SUFFICIENT SUPERVISORY CONTROL TO BE LIABLE UNDER LABOR LAW 240 (1), 241 (6) AND 200 (FOURTH DEPT))

THE PROPONENT OF A MISSING WITNESS CHARGE MUST FIRST DEMONSTRATE THE TESTIMONY OF THE MISSING WITNESS WOULD NOT MERELY BE CUMULATIVE (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, over a two-justice dissent, determined that the proponent of a missing witness jury instruction must first demonstrate the testimony of the witness would not have been cumulative:

In the [1st] , [2nd], and [3rd] Departments, it is well established that the proponent of such a charge has the ” initial burden of proving,’ ” inter alia, that the missing witness has ” noncumulative’ ” testimony to offer on behalf of the opposing party … . That rule has been explicitly and consistently reiterated by our sister appellate courts … .

We have never held otherwise. * * *

Here, defendant—as the proponent of the missing witness charge—failed to meet his initial burden of proving, prima facie, that the missing witness had noncumulative testimony to offer on the People’s behalf… . Neither defendant nor the dissent claim otherwise; instead, they argue only that defendant had no such initial burden and, as discussed above, we reject that view of the law. Further, although our holding does not rest on this point, we note our disagreement with the dissent that defendant met his initial burden of demonstrating that the uncalled witness would have testified favorably to the People. People v Smith, 2018 NY Slip Op 04863, Fourth Dept 6-29-18

​CRIMINAL LAW (MISSING WITNESS CHARGE, THE PROPONENT OF A MISSING WITNESS CHARGE MUST FIRST DEMONSTRATE THE TESTIMONY OF THE MISSING WITNESS WOULD NOT MERELY BE CUMULATIVE (FOURTH DEPT))/MISSING WITNESS CHARGE (CRIMINAL LAW, THE PROPONENT OF A MISSING WITNESS CHARGE MUST FIRST DEMONSTRATE THE TESTIMONY OF THE MISSING WITNESS WOULD NOT MERELY BE CUMULATIVE (FOURTH DEPT))/JURY INSTRUCTIONS (CRIMINAL LAW, THE PROPONENT OF A MISSING WITNESS CHARGE MUST FIRST DEMONSTRATE THE TESTIMONY OF THE MISSING WITNESS WOULD NOT MERELY BE CUMULATIVE (FOURTH DEPT))

, ,

THE PATTERN JURY INSTRUCTIONS FOR TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH PROSPECTIVE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE ARE WRONG, THE INDEPENDENT CRIME OR TORT ELEMENT IS A FACTUAL QUESTION FOR THE JURY AND SHOULD NOT BE DECIDED AS A MATTER OF LAW BY THE COURT, MOTION TO SET ASIDE THE $5 MILLION VERDICT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, over a two-justice dissent, determined defendant’s motion to set aside the verdict based upon flawed jury instructions should have been granted. Plaintiff was awarded a $5 million verdict based upon complaints made by the defendant, who taught at the school, which led to plaintiff’s firing from her position as superintendent of the NYS School for the Deaf. The Fourth Department determined the pattern jury instructions, which the trial court followed, do not state the correct way to instruct a jury on the elements of tortious interference with prospective economic advantage. One of the elements is the commission of an independent crime or tort. The pattern jury instructions indicate that whether an independent crime or tort has been committed should be determined by the court as a matter of law. The Fourth Department disagreed and held that whether defendant committed an independent crime or tort is a factual question for the jury:

To state a cause of action for tortious interference with prospective economic advantage, “a plaintiff must plead that the defendant directly interfered with a third party and that the defendant either employed wrongful means or acted for the sole purpose of inflicting intentional harm on plaintiff[]” … . The term “[w]rongful means” has been defined by the Court of Appeals as conduct amounting “to a crime or an independent tort” … . This definition was a refinement to the … previous description of the standard, which required “more culpable conduct on the part of the defendant” for the interference when there is no breach of an existing contract. …” [M]ore culpable’ conduct” [haw been defined] as including the “wrongful means” … . … Wrongful means include physical violence, fraud or misrepresentation, civil suits and criminal prosecutions, and some degrees of economic pressure; they do not, however, include persuasion alone although it is knowingly directed at interference with the contract … . …

… [T]he determination whether particular facts constitute the independent tort is almost always a factual determination best left to the jury. Thus, while the court should evaluate the evidence to decide which independent tort(s) fits the fact pattern presented, the disputed underlying elements of the independent tort should still be charged to the jury. Ray v Stockton, 2018 NY Slip Op 04861, Fourth Dept 6-29-18

​TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH A PROSPECTIVE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE (THE PATTERN JURY INSTRUCTIONS FOR TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH PROSPECTIVE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE ARE WRONG, THE INDEPENDENT CRIME OR TORT ELEMENT IS A FACTUAL QUESTION FOR THE JURY AND SHOULD NOT BE DECIDED AS A MATTER OF LAW BY THE COURT, MOTION TO SET ASIDE THE $5 MILLION VERDICT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT))/EMPLOYMENT LAW (THE PATTERN JURY INSTRUCTIONS FOR TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH PROSPECTIVE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE ARE WRONG, THE INDEPENDENT CRIME OR TORT ELEMENT IS A FACTUAL QUESTION FOR THE JURY AND SHOULD NOT BE DECIDED AS A MATTER OF LAW BY THE COURT, MOTION TO SET ASIDE THE $5 MILLION VERDICT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT))/CIVIL PROCEDURE (THE PATTERN JURY INSTRUCTIONS FOR TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH PROSPECTIVE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE ARE WRONG, THE INDEPENDENT CRIME OR TORT ELEMENT IS A FACTUAL QUESTION FOR THE JURY AND SHOULD NOT BE DECIDED AS A MATTER OF LAW BY THE COURT, MOTION TO SET ASIDE THE $5 MILLION VERDICT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT))/JURY INSTRUCTIONS  (THE PATTERN JURY INSTRUCTIONS FOR TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH PROSPECTIVE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE ARE WRONG, THE INDEPENDENT CRIME OR TORT ELEMENT IS A FACTUAL QUESTION FOR THE JURY AND SHOULD NOT BE DECIDED AS A MATTER OF LAW BY THE COURT, MOTION TO SET ASIDE THE $5 MILLION VERDICT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT))

THE PLACEMENT OF THE LADDER WAS DEEMED THE CAUSE OF PLAINTIFF’S FALL AND PLAINTIFF HAD PLACED THE LADDER, THEREFORE PLAINTIFF’S ACTIONS WERE DEEMED THE SOLE PROXIMATE CAUSE OF HIS INJURY PRECLUDING RECOVERY IN THIS LABOR LAW 240 (1) CASE (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, over a dissent, determined that plaintiff’s actions were the sole proximate cause of his fall from a ladder in this Labor Law 240 (1) case. The court determined it was the placement of the ladder which was the cause of the accident and defendant had placed the ladder:

Plaintiff alleged in his second amended complaint that he fell due to the placement of the ladder, and he admitted in his deposition testimony that he had placed the ladder himself. Plaintiff’s theory of liability is that the ladder was not an adequate safety device because it could not be placed directly below his work site. Defendants, however, submitted photographs and a video recording from their safety expert that depicted the expert placing the ladder directly under the work site and standing on it. Furthermore, plaintiff conceded in his deposition testimony that other safety devices were available at the site, and that he asked if they were available before using the ladder. Thus, we conclude that defendants established as a matter of law that the ladder was an adequate safety device and that plaintiff’s own conduct was the sole proximate cause of his injuries. Kipp v Marinus Homes, Inc., 2018 NY Slip Op 04859, Fourth Dept 6-29-18

LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW (THE PLACEMENT OF THE LADDER WAS DEEMED THE CAUSE OF PLAINTIFF’S FALL AND PLAINTIFF HAD PLACED THE LADDER, THEREFORE PLAINTIFF’S ACTIONS WERE DEEMED THE SOLE PROXIMATE CAUSE OF HIS INJURY PRECLUDING RECOVERY IN THIS LABOR LAW 240 (1) CASE (FOURTH DEPT))/LADDERS (LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW, THE PLACEMENT OF THE LADDER WAS DEEMED THE CAUSE OF PLAINTIFF’S FALL AND PLAINTIFF HAD PLACED THE LADDER, THEREFORE PLAINTIFF’S ACTIONS WERE DEEMED THE SOLE PROXIMATE CAUSE OF HIS INJURY PRECLUDING RECOVERY IN THIS LABOR LAW 240 (1) CASE (FOURTH DEPT))/SOLE PROXIMATE CAUSE (LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW, HE PLACEMENT OF THE LADDER WAS DEEMED THE CAUSE OF PLAINTIFF’S FALL AND PLAINTIFF HAD PLACED THE LADDER, THEREFORE PLAINTIFF’S ACTIONS WERE DEEMED THE SOLE PROXIMATE CAUSE OF HIS INJURY PRECLUDING RECOVERY IN THIS LABOR LAW 240 (1) CASE (FOURTH DEPT))

, ,

THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS ARE AMBIGUOUS ON THE ISSUE WHETHER COUNTY RETIREES WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE ARE ENTITLED TO THE FULL MEDICAL BENEFITS AFFORDED THEM AT RETIREMENT, EXTRINSIC EVIDENCE, I.E., WHAT HAD BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, SUPPORTS THE DETERMINATION THAT RETIREES WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE ARE NOT ENTITLED TO FULL BENEFITS (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department determined retired Monroe County employees who become eligible for Medicare are not entitled to the full medical insurance benefits which were afforded them at retirement. The collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) were deemed ambiguous on the issue and the court looked to what had been done in the past as controlling extrinsic evidence:

Inasmuch as the contract language is reasonably susceptible of more than one interpretation, we conclude that the CBAs are ambiguous with respect to whether retirees who are eligible for or enrolled in Medicare are entitled to fully-paid health insurance coverage that is equivalent to the insurance coverage in effect at the time they retired. Thus, we turn to extrinsic evidence to determine the parties’ intent with respect to the health insurance coverage to be provided to those retirees who are eligible for or enrolled in Medicare. Where, as here, “a contract is ambiguous, its interpretation remains the exclusive function of the court unless determination of the intent of the parties depends on the credibility of extrinsic evidence or on a choice among reasonable inferences to be drawn from extrinsic evidence’ ” … . …

For decades, defendants provided retirees who were not yet eligible for Medicare with health insurance benefits, but provided retirees enrolled in Medicare with only Medicare supplement plans. No objection was made and, until recently, the union representing plaintiffs never sought to negotiate any additional benefits for retirees eligible for or enrolled in Medicare. Ames v County of Monroe, 2018 NY Slip Op 04886, Fourth Dept 6-29-18

​MUNICIPAL LAW (EMPLOYMENT LAW, THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS ARE AMBIGUOUS ON THE ISSUE WHETHER COUNTY RETIREES WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE ARE ENTITLED TO THE FULL MEDICAL BENEFITS AFFORDED THEM AT RETIREMENT, EXTRINSIC EVIDENCE, I.E., WHAT HAD BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, SUPPORTS THE DETERMINATION THAT RETIREES WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE ARE NOT ENTITLED TO FULL BENEFITS (FOURTH DEPT))/CONTRACT LAW (MUNICIPAL LAW, THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS ARE AMBIGUOUS ON THE ISSUE WHETHER COUNTY RETIREES WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE ARE ENTITLED TO THE FULL MEDICAL BENEFITS AFFORDED THEM AT RETIREMENT, EXTRINSIC EVIDENCE, I.E., WHAT HAD BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, SUPPORTS THE DETERMINATION THAT RETIREES WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE ARE NOT ENTITLED TO FULL BENEFITS (FOURTH DEPT))/EMPLOYMENT LAW (MUNICIPAL LAW, THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS ARE AMBIGUOUS ON THE ISSUE WHETHER COUNTY RETIREES WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE ARE ENTITLED TO THE FULL MEDICAL BENEFITS AFFORDED THEM AT RETIREMENT, EXTRINSIC EVIDENCE, I.E., WHAT HAD BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, SUPPORTS THE DETERMINATION THAT RETIREES WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE ARE NOT ENTITLED TO FULL BENEFITS (FOURTH DEPT))/COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS (MUNICIPAL LAW, THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS ARE AMBIGUOUS ON THE ISSUE WHETHER COUNTY RETIREES WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE ARE ENTITLED TO THE FULL MEDICAL BENEFITS AFFORDED THEM AT RETIREMENT, EXTRINSIC EVIDENCE, I.E., WHAT HAD BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, SUPPORTS THE DETERMINATION THAT RETIREES WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE ARE NOT ENTITLED TO FULL BENEFITS (FOURTH DEPT))/MEDICAL INSURANCE BENEFITS (MUNICIPAL LAW, EMPLOYMENT LAW, THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS ARE AMBIGUOUS ON THE ISSUE WHETHER COUNTY RETIREES WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE ARE ENTITLED TO THE FULL MEDICAL BENEFITS AFFORDED THEM AT RETIREMENT, EXTRINSIC EVIDENCE, I.E., WHAT HAD BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, SUPPORTS THE DETERMINATION THAT RETIREES WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE ARE NOT ENTITLED TO FULL BENEFITS (FOURTH DEPT))

Categories

Sign Up for the Mailing List to Be Notified When the Site Is Updated.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Copyright © 2026 New York Appellate Digest, Inc.
Site by CurlyHost | Privacy Policy