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STORM IN PROGRESS RULE REQUIRED SUMMARY JUDGMENT TO DEFENDANT IN THIS SLIP AND FALL CASE, FAILURE TO REMOVE ALL SNOW FROM A PARKING LOT DOES NOT CREATE A HAZARD.

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant’s motion for summary judgment in this slip and fall case should have been granted. Defendants established they had no duty to remove snow at the time of plaintiff’s fall under the storm in progress doctrine. The court noted that the duty to render a parking lot safe does not entail the removal of all the snow:

It is undisputed that defendants met their initial burden on the motion “by establishing that a storm was in progress at the time of the accident and, thus, that they had no duty to remove the snow and ice until a reasonable time ha[d] elapsed after cessation of the storm” … . In opposition, plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact ” whether the accident was caused by a slippery condition at the location where [she] fell that existed prior to the storm, as opposed to precipitation from the storm in progress, and that the defendant[s] had actual or constructive notice of the preexisting condition’ ” … . Even assuming, arguendo, that plaintiff was entitled to rely upon the theory that the icy condition formed prior to the storm upon the melting and refreezing of snow piles created by defendants’ plowing practices … , we conclude that plaintiff’s assertion is based on mere speculation and thus is insufficient to raise an issue of fact … . Indeed, in surmising that there must have been snow piles throughout the parking lot from prior accumulations, plaintiff relied upon inadmissible printouts from a weather data website … , as well as defendants’ general practices regarding snow removal as set forth in their contract … . The record is devoid of competent evidence that any such snow piles existed or, more specifically, that a pile of snow was located near the area of the parking lot where plaintiff fell that had melted and had then refrozen prior to the storm, resulting in the icy condition that caused plaintiff’s accident … . Finally, to the extent that plaintiff contends that defendants’ snow removal efforts created the hazardous condition because they did not properly care for the area where she fell even though they had treated other areas of the parking lot during the storm, we note that it is well settled that ” [t]he mere failure to remove all snow and ice from a . . . parking lot does not constitute negligence’ and does not constitute creation of a hazard” … . Hanifan v Cor Dev. Co., LLC, 2016 NY Slip Op 07498, 4th Dept 11-10-16

NEGLIGENCE (STORM IN PROGRESS RULE REQUIRED SUMMARY JUDGMENT TO DEFENDANT IN THIS SLIP AND FALL CASE, FAILURE TO REMOVE ALL SNOW FROM A PARKING LOT DOES NOT CREATE A HAZARD)/STORM IN PROGRESS (STORM IN PROGRESS RULE REQUIRED SUMMARY JUDGMENT TO DEFENDANT IN THIS SLIP AND FALL CASE, FAILURE TO REMOVE ALL SNOW FROM A PARKING LOT DOES NOT CREATE A HAZARD)/SLIP AND FALL (STORM IN PROGRESS RULE REQUIRED SUMMARY JUDGMENT TO DEFENDANT IN THIS SLIP AND FALL CASE, FAILURE TO REMOVE ALL SNOW FROM A PARKING LOT DOES NOT CREATE A HAZARD)

PLAINTIFF’S MOTION PAPERS RAISED A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER HIS FAILURE TO USE A LADDER WAS THE SOLE PROXIMATE CAUSE OF HIS FALL, PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DENIED WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE OPPOSING PAPERS.

The Fourth Department, over a two-justice dissent, reversing Supreme Court, determined plaintiff’s motion papers in the Labor Law 240(1) action raised a triable issue of fact whether his failure to use an available ladder was the sole proximate cause of his fall from a wall. Plaintiff’s motion must therefore be denied without any need to consider the opposing papers:

Liability under section 240 (1) does not attach when the safety devices that [the] plaintiff alleges were absent were readily available at the work site, albeit not in the immediate vicinity of the accident, and [the] plaintiff knew he [or she] was expected to use them but for no good reason chose not to do so, causing an accident” … . Under those circumstances, the “plaintiff’s own negligence is the sole proximate cause of his [or her] injury” … .

Where the plaintiff’s submissions in support of the motion raise a triable issue of fact whether his or her own actions were the sole proximate cause of the injury, the plaintiff has failed to make a prima facie showing of entitlement to judgment as a matter of law on the issue of liability because “if the plaintiff is solely to blame for the injury, it necessarily means that there has been no statutory violation” … . In this case, plaintiff’s submissions raised triable issues of fact whether plaintiff knew that he was expected to use a readily available ladder at the work site to perform his task, but for no good reason chose not to do so, and whether he would not have been injured had he not made that choice … . Scruton v Acro-Fab Ltd., 2016 NY Slip Op 07428, 4th Dept 11-10-16

 

LABOR LAW (PLAINTIFF’S MOTION PAPERS RAISED A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER HIS FAILURE TO USE A LADDER WAS THE SOLE PROXIMATE CAUSE OF HIS FALL, PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DENIED WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE OPPOSING PAPERS)/SOLE PROXIMATE CAUSE (LABOR LAW 240(1), PLAINTIFF’S MOTION PAPERS RAISED A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER HIS FAILURE TO USE A LADDER WAS THE SOLE PROXIMATE CAUSE OF HIS FALL, PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DENIED WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE OPPOSING PAPERS)/LADDERS (LABOR LAW 240(1), PLAINTIFF’S MOTION PAPERS RAISED A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER HIS FAILURE TO USE A LADDER WAS THE SOLE PROXIMATE CAUSE OF HIS FALL, PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DENIED WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE OPPOSING PAPERS)

COURT ERRED IN REFUSING TO APPLY THE “MADE WHOLE” RULE IN THIS SUBROGATION ACTION.

The Fourth Department determined Supreme Court erred when it refused to apply the “made whole” rule in this subrogation action. After settling for the full amount of the policy, respondent insurer sought the full amount paid to plaintiff by another insurer. The matter was sent back because it was unclear whether the settlement made plaintiff whole:

Plaintiff contends that, under the “made whole” rule, respondent has no right of subrogation because plaintiff’s damages exceed the amount of the settlement. By way of background, the “made whole” rule provides that, if “the sources of recovery ultimately available are inadequate to fully compensate the insured for its losses, then the insurer—who has been paid by the insured to assume the risk of loss—has no right to share in the proceeds of the insured’s recovery from the tortfeasor” … . “In other words, the insurer may seek subrogation against only those funds and assets that remain after the insured has been compensated. This designation of priority interests . . . assures that the injured party’s claim against the tortfeasor takes precedence over the subrogation rights of the insurer” … . Although we agree with plaintiff that the court erred in refusing to apply that rule, on this record, it is unclear whether the settlement made plaintiff whole. Grinage v Durawa, 2016 NY Slip Op 07429, 4th Dept 11-10-16

INSURANCE LAW (COURT ERRED IN REFUSING TO APPLY THE “MADE WHOLE” RULE IN THIS SUBROGATION ACTION)/MADE WHOLE RULE (INSURANCE LAW, COURT ERRED IN REFUSING TO APPLY THE “MADE WHOLE” RULE IN THIS SUBROGATION ACTION)/SUBROGATION (INSURANCE LAW, COURT ERRED IN REFUSING TO APPLY THE “MADE WHOLE” RULE IN THIS SUBROGATION ACTION)

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FATHER DID NOT ABUSE THE JUDICIAL PROCESS, FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE PROHIBITED FUTURE PETITIONS.

The Fourth Department determined father, who was incarcerated in Michigan, was afforded due process in the proceedings in which his petition for visitation was denied. However, the court noted that Family Court did not have the power, under the circumstances, to prohibit any further petitions by father:

… [W]e agree with the father that the court erred in sua sponte imposing conditions restricting him from filing new petitions. It is well settled that “[p]ublic policy mandates free access to the courts” … , but ” a party may forfeit that right if she or he abuses the judicial process by engaging in meritless litigation motivated by spite or ill will’ ” … . Here, however, there is no basis in the record from which to conclude that the father had engaged in meritless, frivolous, or vexatious litigation, or that he had otherwise abused the judicial process … . Matter of Otrosinka v Hageman, 2016 NY Slip Op 07553, 4th Dept 11-10-16

FAMILY LAW (FATHER DID NOT ABUSE THE JUDICIAL PROCESS, FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE PROHIBITED FUTURE PETITIONS)/CIVIL PROCEDURE (FATHER DID NOT ABUSE THE JUDICIAL PROCESS, FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE PROHIBITED FUTURE PETITIONS)

FAMILY COURT RETAINS JURISDICTION TO CONDUCT A PERMANENCY HEARING (RE: PLACEMENT IN FOSTER CARE) AFTER THE UNDERLYING NEGLECT PETITION (WHICH LED TO TEMPORARY PLACEMENT) HAS BEEN DISMISSED.

The Fourth Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Scudder, over a two-justice dissent, determined Family Court had jurisdiction to conduct a permanency hearing (re: placement in foster care) even though the underlying neglect petition which led to temporary placement of the child was dismissed:

We … conclude, based upon the plain language of the provisions of Family Court Act article 10-A, that the court obtains jurisdiction as a result of a placement with petitioner pursuant to section 1022 (see § 1088), and that the court is required to make a determination whether to return the child to the parent based upon the best interests and safety of the child, including whether the child would be at risk of abuse or neglect if the child were to return to the parent (see § 1089 [d] [1], [2] [i]). Thus, we conclude that the court retained jurisdiction to conduct the permanency hearing despite the dismissal of the neglect petition. Moreover, our interpretation of the statutory provisions of article 10-A comports with the longstanding principle that “an overarching consideration always obtains for children to be returned to biological parents, if at all possible and responsible . . . When that cannot be done, the emphasis shifts to securing permanent, stable solutions and settings”… . Matter of Jamie J. (Michelle E.C.), 2016 NY Slip Op 07424, 4th Dept 11-10-16

FAMILY LAW (FAMILY COURT RETAINS JURISDICTION TO CONDUCT A PERMANeNCY HEARING (RE: PLACEMENT IN FOSTER CARE) AFTER THE UNDERLYING NEGLECT PETITION (WHICH LED TO TEMPORARY PLACEMENT) HAS BEEN DISMISSED)/NEGLECT (FAMILY COURT RETAINS JURISDICTION TO CONDUCT A PERMANENCY HEARING (RE: PLACEMENT IN FOSTER CARE) AFTER THE UNDERLYING NEGLECT PETITION (WHICH LED TO TEMPORARY PLACEMENT) HAS BEEN DISMISSED)/PERMANENCY HEARING (FAMILY COURT RETAINS JURISDICTION TO CONDUCT A PERMANENCY HEARING (RE: PLACEMENT IN FOSTER CARE) AFTER THE UNDERLYING NEGLECT PETITION (WHICH LED TO TEMPORARY PLACEMENT) HAS BEEN DISMISSED)/SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION (FAMILY COURT RETAINS JURISDICTION TO CONDUCT A PERMANENCY HEARING (RE: PLACEMENT IN FOSTER CARE) AFTER THE UNDERLYING NEGLECT PETITION (WHICH LED TO TEMPORARY PLACEMENT) HAS BEEN DISMISSED)

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SCHOOL MAY HAVE HAD CONSTRUCTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE STUDENT’S CLAIM, BUT DID NOT HAVE ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE; LEAVE TO SERVE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED.

The Fourth Department determined claimant high school wrestler should not have been granted leave to serve a late notice of claim against one of the two named schools, Akron. The claimant alleged he contracted herpes from an Akron wrestler during a tournament at Akron. Although Akron was deemed to have constructive knowledge of the claim, the court found it did not have timely actual knowledge of the essential facts of the claim:

We agree with Akron … that it did not have actual knowledge of the essential facts constituting the claim. Akron established that it was not aware until it received claimant’s application for leave to serve a late notice of claim that he was allegedly infected with herpes by wrestling Akron’s student at the tournament. …[C]laimant here established that, at most, Akron had constructive knowledge of the claim, which is insufficient … . It is well settled that actual knowledge of the claim is the factor that is accorded “great weight” in determining whether to grant leave to serve a late notice of claim … . Even if we agree with claimant that Akron suffered no prejudice from the delay, we nevertheless conclude that the court abused its discretion in granting claimant’s application for leave to serve a late notice of claim against Akron … . Matter of Ficek v Akron Cent. Sch. Dist., 2016 NY Slip Op 07545, 4th Dept 11-10-16

EDUCATION SCHOOL LAW (LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM, SCHOOL MAY HAVE HAD CONSTRUCTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE STUDENT’S CLAIM, BUT DID NOT HAVE ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE, LEAVE TO SERVE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED)/NEGLIGENCE (SCHOOL, LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM, SCHOOL MAY HAVE HAD CONSTRUCTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE STUDENT’S CLAIM, BUT DID NOT HAVE ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE, LEAVE TO SERVE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED)/NOTICE OF CLAIM (SCHOOL, LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM, SCHOOL MAY HAVE HAD CONSTRUCTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE STUDENT’S CLAIM, BUT DID NOT HAVE ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE, LEAVE TO SERVE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED)

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RECORDED STATEMENTS MADE TO THE MOTHER OF DEFENDANT’S CHILDREN, WHO WAS ACTING AS A POLICE AGENT AT THE TIME THE STATEMENTS WERE MADE, REQUIRED THE REOPENING OF THE HUNTLEY HEARING, CASE REMITTED.

The Fourth Department sent the case back for a reopened Huntley hearing concerning recorded statements made by the defendant to the mother of defendant’s children, who was acting as a police agent at the time the statements were made. The statements were under a protective order until two weeks before the trial. The defendant was convicted of the murder of a man he mistakenly believed was having a relationship with the mother of his children:

… [T]he court erred in failing to reopen the Huntley hearing at defense counsel’s request with respect to recorded statements that he made to an agent of the police (see CPL 60.45 [2] [b] [i], [ii]), i.e., the mother of his children, which were the subject of a protective order until approximately two weeks before trial. Because the admission of those statements at trial cannot be deemed harmless error … , we hold the case, reserve decision and remit the matter to Supreme Court to reopen the Huntley hearing with respect to those recorded statements … . People v Mitchell, 2016 NY Slip Op 07543, 4th Dept 11-10-16

CRIMINAL LAW (RECORDED STATEMENTS MADE TO THE MOTHER OF DEFENDANT’S CHILDREN, WHO WAS ACTING AS A POLICE AGENT AT THE TIME THE STATEMENTS WERE MADE, REQUIRED THE REOPENING OF THE HUNTLEY HEARING)/EVIDENCE (CRIMINAL LAW, RECORDED STATEMENTS MADE TO THE MOTHER OF DEFENDANT’S CHILDREN, WHO WAS ACTING AS A POLICE AGENT AT THE TIME THE STATEMENTS WERE MADE, REQUIRED THE REOPENING OF THE HUNTLEY HEARING)/HUNTLEY HEARING (RECORDED STATEMENTS MADE TO THE MOTHER OF DEFENDANT’S CHILDREN, WHO WAS ACTING AS A POLICE AGENT AT THE TIME THE STATEMENTS WERE MADE, REQUIRED THE REOPENING OF THE HUNTLEY HEARING)

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STATEMENT WHICH WAS NOT IN THE 710.30 NOTICE, AND WHICH PROVIDED EVIDENCE OF DEFENDANT’S DOMINION AND CONTROL OF THE RESIDENCE WHERE DRUGS WERE FOUND, SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED IN EVIDENCE.

The Fourth Department, over a two-justice dissent, determined a statement alleged to have been made during a search, but which was not part of the 710.30 notice, should not have been admitted at trial. The defendant was charged and convicted of constructive possession of drugs found in the searched residence. The statement indicated where defendant’s “own room was.” There was little or no other evidence defendant lived at the searched residence. The court rejected the argument that the statement was “pedigree information” and further rejected the argument that the search consent form, signed by the defendant, was an admission of his dominion and control of the residence:

The People served on defendant a CPL 710.30 notice of their intent to offer defendant’s admissions as evidence at trial and attached a police report to the notice. The police report referenced defendant’s statement to the deputies, during the search, that one of the bedrooms belonged to another person. At trial, however, the court permitted an investigator to testify that defendant “explained where his [own] room was,” referring to another of the bedrooms. Inasmuch as the CPL 710.30 notice did not cover that statement, the court’s ruling on that point was error (see CPL 710.30 [1]…). That error permitted the court to conclude that defendant was an occupant of the residence and, consequently, to find that defendant had constructive possession of the drugs found therein … . People v Buza, 2016 NY Slip Op 07423, 4th Dept 11-10-16

 

CRIMINAL LAW (STATEMENT WHICH WAS NOT IN THE 710.30 NOTICE, AND WHICH PROVIDED EVIDENCE OF DEFENDANT’S DOMINION AND CONTROL OF THE RESIDENCE WHERE DRUGS WERE FOUND, SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED IN EVIDENCE)/710.30 NOTICE (STATEMENT WHICH WAS NOT IN THE 710.30 NOTICE, AND WHICH PROVIDED EVIDENCE OF DEFENDANT’S DOMINION AND CONTROL OF THE RESIDENCE WHERE DRUGS WERE FOUND, SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED IN EVIDENCE)

SANDOVAL HEARING HELD IN DEFENDANT’S ABSENCE REQUIRED DISMISSAL OF THE INDICTMENT, PLACING THE RESULTS OF THE HEARING ON THE RECORD IN DEFENDANT’S PRESENCE DID NOT RECTIFY THE DEFECT.

The Fourth Department determined holding the Sandoval hearing in the defendant’s absence required dismissal of the indictment (without prejudice to file another charge):

We agree with defendant that Supreme Court erred in conducting the Sandoval hearing in his absence … . The court’s Sandoval ruling in this case was not wholly favorable to defendant, and thus “it cannot be said that defendant’s presence at the hearing would have been superfluous” … . Contrary to the People’s contention, although the court placed its Sandoval ruling on the record in defendant’s presence the morning after the hearing, “[a] mere repetition or recitation in the defendant’s presence of what has already been determined in [the defendant’s] absence is insufficient compliance with the Sandoval rule” … . People v Gardner, 2016 NY Slip Op 07469, 4th Dept 11-10-16

CRIMINAL LAW (SANDOVAL HEARING HELD IN DEFENDANT’S ABSENCE REQUIRED DISMISSAL OF THE INDICTMENT, PLACING THE RESULTS OF THE HEARING ON THE RECORD IN DEFENDANT’S PRESENCE DID NOT RECTIFY THE DEFECT)/SANDOVAL HEARING (SANDOVAL HEARING HELD IN DEFENDANT’S ABSENCE REQUIRED DISMISSAL OF THE INDICTMENT, PLACING THE RESULTS OF THE HEARING ON THE RECORD IN DEFENDANT’S PRESENCE DID NOT RECTIFY THE DEFECT)

ADVANCES IN MEDICINE AND SCIENCE CALL INTO QUESTION PREVIOUS OPINIONS ABOUT SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME, MOTION TO VACATE DEFENDANT’S CONVICTION GRANTED AND NEW TRIAL ORDERED.

The Fourth Department affirmed the grant of defendant’s motion to vacate her conviction based on newly-discovered evidence. Defendant, a daycare provider, was convicted in the death of a toddler. Medical testimony at trial attributed the death to shaken baby syndrome. In the motion to vacate her conviction, defendant argued that advances in medicine and science have called into question the prior opinions about shaken baby syndrome, and indicate a short-distance fall can mimic the shaken baby symptoms:

In general, advancements in science and/or medicine may constitute newly discovered evidence … , and we conclude that defendant established, by a preponderance of the evidence (see CPL 440.30 [6]), that “a significant and legitimate debate in the medical community has developed in the past ten years over whether infants [and toddlers] can be fatally injured through shaking alone, . . . and whether other causes [such as short-distance falls] may mimic the symptoms traditionally viewed as indicating shaken baby or shaken impact syndrome” … .

We further conclude that defendant established, by a preponderance of the evidence (see CPL 440.30 [6]), that the newly discovered evidence would probably change the result if a new trial were held today. “A motion to vacate a judgment of conviction upon the ground of newly discovered evidence rests within the discretion of the hearing court . . . The court must make its final decision based upon the likely cumulative effect of the new evidence had it been presented at trial’ ” … . Here, the cumulative effect of the research and findings on retinal hemorrhages, subdural hematomas or hemorrhages and cerebral edemas as presented in SBS/SBIS cases and short-distance fall cases supports the court’s ultimate decision that, had this evidence been presented at trial, the verdict would probably have been different … . People v Bailey, 2016 NY Slip Op 07490, 4th Dept 11-101-6

 

CRIMINAL LAW (ADVANCES IN MEDICINE AND SCIENCE CALL INTO QUESTIONS PREVIOUS OPINIONS ABOUT SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME, MOTION TO VACATE DEFENDANT’S CONVICTION GRANTED AND NEW TRIAL ORDER)/VACATE CONVICTION, MOTION TO (ADVANCES IN MEDICINE AND SCIENCE CALL INTO QUESTIONS PREVIOUS OPINIONS ABOUT SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME, MOTION TO VACATE DEFENDANT’S CONVICTION GRANTED AND NEW TRIAL ORDER)/SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME (ADVANCES IN MEDICINE AND SCIENCE CALL INTO QUESTIONS PREVIOUS OPINIONS ABOUT SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME, MOTION TO VACATE DEFENDANT’S CONVICTION GRANTED AND NEW TRIAL ORDER)

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