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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PETITIONER AND RESPONDENT IN THIS FAMILY OFFENSE PROCEEDING MET THE DEFINITION OF “INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP” SUCH THAT FAMILY COURT HAD SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined the family-offense petition should not have been dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The Second Department determined the respondent met the “intimate relationship” criteria which provided Family Court with subject matter jurisdiction:

“[T]he determination as to whether persons are or have been in an ‘intimate relationship’ within the meaning of Family Court Act § 812(1)(e) is a fact-specific determination which may require a hearing” … . Although Family Court Act § 812(1)(e) expressly excludes a “casual acquaintance” and “ordinary fraternization between two individuals in business or social contexts” from the definition of “intimate relationship,” “the legislature left it to the courts to determine on a case-by-case basis what qualifies as an intimate relationship within the meaning of Family Court Act § 812(1)(e) based upon consideration of factors such as ‘the nature or type of relationship, regardless of whether the relationship is sexual in nature; the frequency of interaction between the persons; and the duration of the relationship'” …. .

… [T]he record demonstrated that the petitioner knew the respondent for more than 20 years, and the respondent and the petitioner’s sister held themselves out as husband and wife. During that period of time, the petitioner and the respondent engaged in general social activities at each other’s homes, attended holiday and birthday celebrations together, and traveled together. The petitioner’s sister and the respondent had a daughter together who identified the petitioner as her aunt. The petitioner resided in one of the units of a three-family home. The petitioner’s sister, the respondent, and their daughter, who was approximately 18 years old at the time of the hearing, resided in one of the other units of that three-family home. The home was owned by the mother of the petitioner and the petitioner’s sister. Under the circumstances, the Family Court should have denied the respondent’s application to dismiss the petition for lack of subject matter jurisdiction (see Family Ct Act § 812[1]). Matter of Charter v Allen, 2022 NY Slip Op 04167, Second Dept 6-29-22

Practice Point: This case demonstrates that an “intimate relationship” which gives Family Court subject matter jurisdiction in a family offense proceeding need not be a sexual relationship.

 

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THE NOTICE OF CLAIM WAS SERVED ONLY FIVE DAYS LATE WHICH WAS DEEMED TIMELY NOTICE OF THE NATURE OF THE ACTION AND A SHOWING OF THE ABSENCE OF PREJUDICE; THE CITY DID NOT AFFIRMATIVELY DEMONSTRATE PREJUDICE; THE ABSENCE OF AN ADEQUATE EXCUSE WAS NOT FATAL; LEAVE TO FILE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the petition for leave to file a late notice of claim should have been granted. The notice of claim was served five days after the expiration of the 90-day time-limit. The court deemed that to constitute timely knowledge of the claim. The city did not demonstrate prejudice. The absence of an excuse was not a fatal defect:

… [T]he petitioner served the notice of claim upon the respondents five days after the 90-day period for service had expired and commenced the instant proceeding the next day. Under such circumstances, the respondents acquired actual knowledge of the essential facts constituting the claim within a reasonable time after the expiration of the 90-day statutory period … . Since the respondents acquired timely knowledge of the essential facts constituting the petitioner’s claim, the petitioner met his initial burden of showing a lack of prejudice … .

… [T]he respondents “failed to come forward with particularized evidence showing that the late notice had substantially prejudiced [their] ability to defend the claim on the merits” … . Rather, the respondents’ counsel made only conclusory assertions that the petitioner’s five-day delay in serving the notice of claim had hindered the respondents’ ability to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of the subject incident, which “were insufficient to rebut the petitioner’s initial showing of lack of prejudice” … .

Although the petitioner failed to offer a reasonable excuse for his failure to timely serve the notice of claim, “the absence of a reasonable excuse is not fatal to the petition where there was actual notice and absence of prejudice” … . Matter of Gabriel v City of Long Beach, 2022 NY Slip Op 04169, Second Dept 6-29-22

Practice Point: Here the notice of claim was served only five days late. The city was thereby deemed to have had timely notice of the nature of the claim and the petitioner was deemed to have demonstrated a lack of prejudice. The fact that the petitioner did not have an adequate excuse was not a fatal defect. Leave to file a late notice of claim should have been granted.

 

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THE 20-YEAR DURATION OF REGISTRATION AND VERIFICATION OF A LEVEL ONE SEX OFFENDER STARTS ANEW WHEN THE OFFENDER, ALREADY REGISTERED IN ANOTHER STATE, MOVES TO NEW YORK AND NOTIFIES THE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Brathwaite Nelson, in a matter of first impression, determined that the 20-year duration of registration and verification of a level one sex offender starts anew when a sex offender registered in another state moves to New York:

The defendant contends that the 20-year period set forth in Correction Law § 168-h(1) must be diminished by the period of time that he was registered as a sex offender in another state. We disagree and hold that the “initial date of registration” referred to in that statutory provision means the initial date of the offender’s registration with the Division of Criminal Justice Services pursuant to New York’s Sex Offender Registration Act (Correction Law art 6-C; hereinafter SORA). People v Corr, 2022 NY Slip Op 04183, Second Dept 6-29-22

Practice Point: A level one sex offender who was registered in another state before moving to New York does not get credit for the duration of the out-of-state registration.

 

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IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, A PARTY WHO DID NOT SIGN THE NOTE BUT DID SIGN THE MORTGAGE IS A “BORROWER” ENTITLED TO RPAPL 1304 NOTICE; PLAINTIFF BANK’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined that a borrower, Ellen Weininger, who signed the mortgage but not the note, was entitled to notice of foreclosure pursuant to RPAPL 1304:

… [I]t is undisputed that the plaintiff failed to serve Ellen Weininger with timely notice pursuant to RPAPL 1304, and, contrary to the plaintiff’s contention, Ellen Weininger was entitled to such notice as a “borrower” within the meaning of that statute. Although Ellen Weininger did not sign the underlying note, both of the defendants executed the mortgage as a “borrower.” Where, as here, a homeowner defendant is referred to as a “borrower” in the mortgage instrument and, in that capacity, agrees to pay amounts due under the note, that defendant is a “borrower” for the purposes of RPAPL 1304, notwithstanding the absence of a consolidation, extension, and modification agreement signed by that defendant or any ambiguity created by a provision in the mortgage instrument to the effect that parties who did not sign the underlying note are not personally obligated to pay the sums secured … . Since Ellen Weininger signed the mortgage as a “borrower” and, in that capacity, agreed to pay the amounts due under the note, she was entitled to timely notice pursuant to RPAPL 1304 …  As the plaintiff conceded that it did not send the requisite notice pursuant to RPAPL 1304 to Ellen Weininger until 17 days before commencement of this action, it failed to meet its prima facie burden of establishing compliance with RPAPL 1304, and those branches of the plaintiff’s motion which were for summary judgment on the complaint insofar as asserted against the defendants, to strike their answer, and for an order of reference should have been denied. Deutsche Bank Natl. Trust Co. v Weininger, 2022 NY Slip Op 04008, Second Dept 6-22-22

Practice Point: In this foreclosure proceeding, a party who did not sign the note but did sign the mortgage is a “borrower” entitled to the notice required by RPAPL 1304.

 

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FAMILY COURT HELD A HEARING IN THE MODIFICATION OF CUSTODY PROCEEDING BUT DID NOT STATE IN ITS DECISION THE FACTS RELIED UPON TO DENY THE PETITION; THE APPELLATE DIVISION REVIEWED THE EVIDENCE, REVERSED FAMILY COURT, AND GRANTED MOTHER’S PETITION (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined mother’s petition to modify custody should have been granted. Family Court held a hearing but did not, in its decision, state the facts relied upon to deny the petition. Because the record was sufficient, the Second Department exercised its authority to review the evidence and make its own determination:

… [T]o facilitate effective appellate review, the hearing court “must state in its decision ‘the facts it deems essential’ to its determination” … .

… [W]hile the Family Court stated in its decision that the allegations in the mother’s petition “largely stem from the difficulties that the parties have in co-parenting which predate her petition,” and that “both parties contribute to continuing the conflict between one another,” the court did not identify the facts adduced at the hearing that supported its denial of the mother’s petition. … . …

The evidence at the hearing showed that, on numerous occasions after the issuance of the 2018 custody order, the father, in the child’s presence, denigrated the mother and behaved inappropriately toward her … . The father consistently failed to make the child available for telephone and video calls with the mother as required by the original custody order, routinely ignored the mother’s attempted communications with the child, and repeatedly failed to adhere to the court-ordered parental access schedule … . The hearing testimony established that the father not only refused to foster a good relationship between the mother and the child—he expressly testified that he did not believe he had an obligation to do so—but actively sought to thwart such a relationship. “Parental alienation of a child from the other parent is an act so inconsistent with the best interests of the child[ ] as to, per se, raise a strong probability that the offending party is unfit to act as custodial parent” …

… [T]he father demonstrated a lack of interest in the child’s education and development by, among other things, refusing to have the child evaluated for learning disabilities or treated for his speech impediment … . … [T]he father failed to respond to the mother’s inquiries about the child’s health, education, and safety. Matter of Smith v Francis, 2022 NY Slip Op 04026, Second Dept 6-22-22

Practice Point: After a hearing on a petition to modify custody, Family Court, in its decision, must, but did not, state the facts relied upon in making its ruling denying the petition. The appellate division exercised its authority to review the evidence and make its own determination (reversing Family Court and granting mother’s petition for residential custody).

 

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IN THIS VEHICLE ACCIDENT CASE, PLAINTIFF ENTERED AN ARBITRATION AGREEMENT WHICH INDICATED THE AWARD WOULD BE BETWEEN $0 AND $50,000, BUT THE POLICY LIMITS WERE $100,000/300,000; THE UNILATERAL MISTAKE BY PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY RE: THE POLICY LIMITS WAS NOT INDUCED BY DEFENDANT OR DEFENDANT’S CARRIER, THEREFORE RESCISSION OF THE AGREEMENT WAS NOT AN AVAILABLE REMEDY (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant’s motion to compel arbitration in this vehicle-accident case should have been granted. Plaintiff wanted the agreement to arbitrate rescinded because it did not reflect the actual policy limits. But the unilateral mistake by plaintiff’s attorney was not induced by the defendant because defendant’s insurance carrier had twice notified plaintiff’s attorney of the policy limits. The agreement to arbitrate set the award at between $0 and $50,000, but the policy limits were $100,000/300,000:

“Generally, a party’s unilateral mistake is a ground for rescission of a contract only where it was induced by fraud or other wrongful conduct by the other party” … . Moreover, “the equitable remedy of rescission is not available to relieve an allegedly mistaken party of the consequences of their failure to exercise ordinary care” … .

Contrary to the plaintiff’s contention, he failed to establish that the arbitration agreement was subject to the equitable remedy of rescission on the ground of unilateral mistake by his attorney regarding the policy limits … . The purported mistake in the high-low agreement at issue arose not from any fraudulent inducement by the defendant, but from the failure of the plaintiff’s attorney to exercise ordinary care under the circumstances … . Maynard v Smith, 2022 NY Slip Op 04017, Second Dept 6-22-22

Practice Point: A unilateral mistake by one party which was not induced by the other party is not a ground for rescission of a contract.

 

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THERE ARE SUBSTANTIVE QUESTIONS OF FACT ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN PLAINTIFF EMPLOYER AND DEFENDANT EMPLOYEE RE: THE SALE OF DEFENDANT’S TAX PREPARATION BUSINESS TO PLAINTIFF AND WHETHER DEFENDANT SOLD HER CLIENT LIST TO PLAINTIFF; PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION ENFORCING THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined plaintiff-employer’s motion for a preliminary injunction in this violation-of-a-restrictive-covenant case should not have been granted. There were too many issues of fact about the nature of the parties’ agreement re: plaintiff’s purchase of defendant’s tax preparation business, including whether defendant turned over her client list to the plaintiff:

… [T]he plaintiff commenced this action against the defendant, its former employee, to recover damages for breach of contract. The plaintiff alleged … the parties entered into three agreements: a purchase agreement whereby the plaintiff purchased the defendant’s tax preparation business, including her client list; an agreement whereby the plaintiff employed the defendant as a tax preparer; and a confidentiality, nonsolicit, and noncompete agreement which, inter alia, contained restrictive covenants that, among other things, prohibited the defendant from soliciting the plaintiff’s clients. …

… [T]he plaintiff failed to demonstrate a clear right to relief and, thus, did not demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits. “‘[A] restrictive covenant will only be subject to specific enforcement to the extent that it is reasonable in time and area, necessary to protect the employer’s legitimate interests, not harmful to the general public and not unreasonably burdensome to the employee'” … . An employer’s interests justifying a restrictive covenant are limited “to the protection against misappropriation of the employer’s trade secrets or of confidential customer lists, or protection from competition by a former employee whose services are unique or extraordinary” … . Here, there are issues of fact as to what the parties agreed to, including whether the plaintiff purchased the rights to the defendant’s clients pursuant to the parties’ agreements and whether the plaintiff breached its own obligations pursuant to those agreements. Since these issues of fact exist, the plaintiff did not show a likelihood of success on the merits and, thus, failed to establish a clear right to preliminary injunctive relief … . R&G Brenner Income Tax Consultants v Fonts, 2022 NY Slip Op 04039, Second Dept 6-22-22

Practice Point: Where there are substantive questions of fact, a preliminary injunction should not be granted because a likelihood of success on the merits has not been demonstrated.

 

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IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NURSING HOME REFORM ACT (NHRA), THE ADMISSION AGREEMENT SIGNED BY THE NURSING-HOME RESIDENT’S GRANDDAUGHTER DID NOT IMPOSE PERSONAL LIABILITY UPON THE GRANDDAUGHTER FOR PAYMENT OF THE COSTS OF THE RESIDENT’S CARE; THE GRANDDAUGHTER’S MOTION TO VACATE THE DEFAULT JUDGMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED AND THE BREACH-OF-CONTRACT COMPLAINT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the admission agreement signed by the nursing-home resident’s granddaughter (who was appointed guardian of her grandfather’s property) did not impose personal liability upon the granddaughter for payment of the cost of her resident’s care (provided by the plaintiff facility). Therefore, plaintiff should not have seized the granddaughter’s personal funds. The default judgment in favor of plaintiff should have been vacated, and the breach-of-contract complaint should have been dismissed:

… [t]he admission agreement in this case is subject to the Nursing Home Reform Act (hereinafter the NHRA). As relevant here, the NHRA provides that “[w]ith respect to admissions practices, a nursing facility must . . . not require a third party guarantee of payment to the facility as a condition of admission (or expedited admission) to, or continued stay in, the facility” … . However, that prohibition “shall not be construed as preventing a facility from requiring an individual, who has legal access to a resident’s income or resources available to pay for care in the facility, to sign a contract (without incurring personal financial liability) to provide payment from the resident’s income or resources for such care” … .

The admissions agreement set forth the relevant contractual obligations of the granddaughter, and the admissions agreement demonstrates as a matter of law that it did not render the granddaughter a “third party guarantee of payment” … .”The admission[s] agreement merely required the [granddaughter] to facilitate payment from the . . . resident’s available income and resources, and only to the extent that the [granddaughter] had access to such income and resources and only if [the granddaughter] could do so without incurring any personal financial liability” … . …

.. [T]he plaintiff failed to adequately allege a breach of the granddaughter’s contractual obligation to facilitate payment to the plaintiff from the resident’s “income or resources” … . Nassau Operating Co., LLC v DeSimone, 2022 NY Slip Op 04029, Second Dept 6-22-22

Practice Point: The Nursing Home Reform Act (NHRA) prohibits holding a third-party who signs an admission agreement personally liable for the costs of a resident’s care. The agreement may only obligate the third party to pay the costs from the resident’s assets (over which the third party exercises control).

 

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IN ORDER TO DIRECT A DEFENDANT TO INSTALL AN IGNITION INTERLOCK DEVICE, THE DEFENDANT MUST BE SENTENCED TO A PERIOD OF PROBATION OR A CONDITIONAL DISCHARGE (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing County Court, determined defendant could not be directed to install an ignition interlock device in the absence of a sentence to probation or a conditional discharge. Matter remitted for resentencing:

Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1193(1)(b)(ii) provides that the court shall “sentence such person convicted of . . . a violation of [Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1192(2), (2-a), or (3)] to a term of probation or conditional discharge, as a condition of which it shall order such person to install and maintain, in accordance with the provisions of [Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1198], an ignition interlock device in any motor vehicle owned or operated by such person.”

In directing the defendant to install and maintain a functioning ignition interlock device, the County Court failed to also impose a sentence of probation or conditional discharge and therefore failed to comply with the requirements of the statute … . People v Dancy, 2022 NY Slip Op 03904, Second Dept 6-15-22

Practice Point: The Vehicle and Traffic Law requires that the direction to install an ignition interlock device be part of a sentence to a period of probation or a conditional discharge.

 

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MOTHER FAILED TO APPEAR IN THE PROCEEDING TO DETERMINE FATHER’S PETITION FOR MODIFICATION OF CUSTODY; THE PETITION WAS GRANTED; BUT NO EVIDENCE WAS PRESENTED ON WHETHER MODIFICATION WAS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILDREN; MOTHER’S MOTION TO VACATE THE ORDER GRANTING FATHER’S PETITION SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined the judge should not have granted father’s petition for a modification of custody upon mother’s failure to appear. No evidence was taken on whether modification was in the best interests of the children. Mother’s motion to vacate the order should have been granted:

“A custody determination, whether made upon the default of a party or not, must always have a sound and substantial basis in the record” … .

… Family Court … granted the father’s oral application and modified the order of custody and visitation … , so as to grant the father relief which far exceeded that requested in his petition, without first receiving any testimony or other admissible evidence in the matter upon which it could determine whether modification was required to protect the best interests of the children. Under these circumstances, and in light of the policy favoring resolutions on the merits in child custody proceedings, the court improvidently exercised its discretion in denying the mother’s motion to vacate the final order of custody and visitation … . Matter of Hogan v Smith, 2022 NY Slip Op 03894, Second Dept 6-15-22

Practice Point: Even when mother fails to appear in the proceeding to determine father’s petition for modification of custody, the petition should not be granted in the absence of evidence modification in in the best interests of the children.

 

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