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AN ACTION FOR A DECLARATORY JUDGMENT SHOULD NOT BE DISMISSED AT THE PRE-ANSWER STAGE BASED UPON A FINDING THE PLAINTIFF MAY NOT BE ENTITLED TO THE DECLARATORY RELIEF (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, explained that an action for a declaratory judgment should not be dismissed at the pre-answer stage when the pleading standards are met:

… [T]he plaintiffs alleged that certain provisions of Nassau County Administrative Code, chapter XXI, title D-21-Drycleaners and Laundromats were unconstitutional, unconstitutionally vague, served no legitimate purpose, and lacked any substantial relationship to the legislative intent … . …

” A motion to dismiss a declaratory judgment action prior to the service of an answer presents for consideration only the issue of whether a cause of action for declaratory relief is set forth, not the question of whether the plaintiff is entitled to a favorable disposition'” … . “[W]here a cause of action is sufficient to invoke the court’s power to render a declaratory judgment . . . as to the rights and other legal relations of the parties to a justiciable controversy’ (CPLR 3001; see CPLR 3017[b]), a motion to dismiss that cause of action should be denied” … .

Here, the complaint was sufficient to invoke the court’s power to render a declaratory judgment as to the rights and other legal relations of the parties to a justiciable controversy (see CPLR 3001 …). A complaint will not be dismissed pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(7) merely because the plaintiffs may not be entitled to a declaration in their favor … . Laundry Palace U, Inc. v Nassau County, 2020 NY Slip Op 03005, Second Dept 5-27-20

 

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PLAINTIFF RAISED QUESTIONS OF FACT WHETHER THE POLICE HAD PROBABLE CAUSE TO ARREST HIM AND WHETHER THE POLICE GAVE FALSE EVIDENCE TO THE GRAND JURY; THE MALICIOUS PROSECUTION, FALSE ARREST, FALSE IMPRISONMENT AND VIOLATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS CAUSES OF ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the malicious prosecution, false arrest, false imprisonment and 42 USC 1983 civil rights causes of action should not have been dismissed. Plaintiff had been arrested and indicted in a shooting based upon information from Pierre-Riviera, who allegedly claimed plaintiff was the shooter. The charges against plaintiff were dismissed by the District Attorney. Plaintiff alleged the information provided by Pierre-Riviera was the product of coercion by the police, and the police witnesses provided false evidence to the grand jury:

… [T]he defendants failed to eliminate triable issues of fact as to whether the police had probable cause to arrest the plaintiff … . Pierre-Riviera’s deposition testimony, submitted by the defendants on their motion, raised triable issues of fact as to whether his identification of the plaintiff as the shooter was coerced, and therefore, whether the police had probable cause to arrest the plaintiff … . …

Regarding malicious prosecution, once a suspect has been indicted, the grand jury action creates a presumption of probable cause … . A plaintiff can overcome the presumption of probable cause “by evidence establishing that the police witnesses have not made a complete and full statement of facts either to the Grand Jury or to the District Attorney, that they have misrepresented or falsified evidence, that they have withheld evidence or otherwise acted in bad faith” … . Elie v City of New York, 2020 NY Slip Op 03001, Second Dept 5-27-20

 

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DEFENDANT SNOW-REMOVAL CONTRACTOR DID NOT NEED TO DEMONSTRATE THE ESPINAL EXCEPTIONS DID NOT APPLY IN THIS SLIP AND FALL CASE BECAUSE PLAINTIFF DID NOT ALLEGE ANY OF THE EXCEPTIONS APPLIED; THEREFORE DEFENDANT WAS ENTITLED TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON THE GROUND PLAINTIFF WAS NOT A PARTY TO THE CONTRACT (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, in this slip and fall case, determined defendant snow-removal contractor, Con-Kel, did not need to demonstrate the inapplicability of any Espinal exceptions in its motion for summary judgment because plaintiff did not allege any of the exceptions applied:

“[A] contractual obligation, standing alone, will generally not give rise to tort liability in favor of a third party” (Espinal v Melville Snow Contrs., 98 NY2d 136, 138). However, there are “three situations in which a party who enters into a contract to render services may be said to have assumed a duty of care—and thus be potentially liable in tort—to third persons: (1) where the contracting party, in failing to exercise reasonable care in the performance of his duties, launche[s] a force or instrument of harm; (2) where the plaintiff detrimentally relies on the continued performance of the contracting party’s duties and (3) where the contracting party has entirely displaced the other party’s duty to maintain the premises safely” … .

Where the pleadings do not allege facts which would establish the applicability of any of the Espinal exceptions, a defendant is not required to affirmatively demonstrate that the exceptions do not apply in order to establish its prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law … .

Here, Con-Kel demonstrated its prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law by coming forward with evidence that the plaintiff was not a party to its snow removal contract … . Arnone v Morton’s of Chicago/Great Neck, LLC, 2020 NY Slip Op 02997, Second Dept 5-27-20

 

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A LEASE GUARANTY WHICH ALLOWS AMENDMENTS TO THE LEASE WITHOUT NOTICE TO THE GUARANTORS IS VALID AND ENFORCEABLE (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined the guarantors of a lease, Cipolla and Mucci, were liable under the guaranty, even though amendments to the lease could be made without notice to the guarantors:

The plaintiff … submitted a guaranty signed by … Cipolla and Mucci … which provided that the undersigned would become guarantors of the prompt and faithful payment and performance of Corbel under the lease, and that no modifications or amendments to the lease would relieve the guarantors’ obligations … . …

The guaranty provided … that notice to or consent by the guarantors was not required for amendments respecting the lease. … “A guarantor is not relieved of his [or her] obligations where, as here, the written guarant[y] allows for changes in the terms of the guarant[y] and expressly waives notice to the guarantor of these changes” … . 2402 E. 69th St., LLC v Corbel Installations, Inc., 2020 NY Slip Op 02996, Second Dept 5-27-20

 

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DEFENDANT WAS DEPRIVED OF HIS RIGHT TO EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL WHEN DEFENSE COUNSEL ARGUED DEFENDANT’S PRO SE MOTION TO SET ASIDE THE VERDICT WAS NOT VIABLE (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, remitting the matter for a determination of defendant’s CPL 330.30 motion to set aside the verdict, determined defendant’s attorney took a position adverse to defendant by arguing defendant’s pro se motion was not viable:

Prior to sentencing, the defendant moved, pro se, to set aside the verdict pursuant to CPL 330.30. At the sentencing hearing, defense counsel stated that the defendant asked him to adopt the motion but that defense counsel did not believe that it was “viable.” He added that, in his opinion, the motion argued matters that were not “for the purview of the [c]ourt.” The Supreme Court declined to review the motion.

As the People concede, defense counsel, by taking a position adverse to that of his client on the motion to set aside the verdict pursuant to CPL 330.30, deprived the defendant of the effective assistance of counsel … . People v Sonds, 2020 NY Slip Op 03036, Second Dept 5-27-20

 

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GOVERNOR HAD THE AUTHORITY TO CANCEL THE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR QUEENS BOROUGH PRESIDENT IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, converting the Article 78 proceeding to a declaratory judgment action, determined the Executive Order canceling the June, 2020, special election for Queens Borough President was a valid exercise of the Governor’s authority in response to the COVID-19 pandemic:

… [T]he Governor demonstrated, prima facie, that the canceling of the special election, which would have been held pursuant to New York City Charter § 81, was the minimum deviation necessary to assist or aid in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, and was authorized pursuant to the emergency powers granted to the Governor by Executive Law § 29-a(1). Additionally, to the extent that New York City Charter § 81 required the special election to be held, pursuant to the language of Executive Order (Cuomo) No. 202.3 (9 NYCRR 8.202.3), those provisions of the New York City Charter have been suspended … . Matter of Dao Yin v Cuomo, 2020 NY Slip Op 03046, Second Dept 5-28-20

 

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CITY DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS ACTION STEMMING FROM THE POLICE-KILLING OF AN 18-YEAR-OLD BOY AFTER HIS MOTHER CALLED 911 SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the City defendants’ motion for summary judgment in this negligence, wrongful death and civil-rights-violation action should not have been granted. Plaintiffs’ decedent, 18 years old, was shot and killed by police after his mother called 911. The Second Department noted that Supreme Court properly granted summary judgment to defendants on the cause of action based upon defendants’ alleged failure to follow the Patrol Guide for the apprehension of barricaded and emotionally disturbed persons because the relevant actions were discretionary and thus entitled to governmental immunity:

… [A] municipal defendant cannot be held liable for the negligent acts of its employee police officers where it establishes that the alleged negligent acts involved the exercise of discretionary authority … . Discretionary acts “involve the exercise of reasoned judgment which could typically produce different acceptable results whereas a ministerial act envisions direct adherence to a governing rule or standard with a compulsory result” … . …

… [T]he defendants submitted the deposition testimony of each of the defendant officers who fired at the decedent, as well as the deposition testimony of a nonparty civilian who observed the incident. … [T]he testimonies of these witnesses demonstrate the existence of triable issues of fact as to whether … the decedent posed a threat of imminent death or serious physical injury to the defendant officers or others sufficient to justify the officers’ use of deadly physical force against the decedent … . …  [T]he City may not rely on the defense of governmental immunity because the defendant officers’ actions, if negligent, would be in violation of the Patrol Guide’s prohibition against the use of deadly physical force, and therefore, not discretionary … . …

… [Re: 42 USC 1983] the defendants failed to demonstrate, prima facie, the absence of triable issues of fact as to whether the defendant officers’ use of deadly physical force against the decedent was objectively reasonable under the circumstances … . The defendants further failed to establish, prima facie, the absence of triable issues of fact as to whether a reasonable officer, facing the same situation, could have believed that deadly physical force was necessary to protect himself or herself or others from death or serious physical injury, and that the defendant officers are thus entitled to qualified immunity … . Owens v City of New York, 2020 NY Slip Op 03019, Second Dept 5-27-20

 

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QUESTIONS OF FACT RAISED ABOUT THE APPLICABILITY OF THE STORM IN PROGRESS RULE, WHETHER THE DEFECT WAS TRIVIAL AND WHETHER PLAINTIFF WAS INJURED BY A CONDITION HE WAS HIRED TO REPAIR; SLIP AND FALL OCCURRED ON DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, NOT NYC, PROPERTY (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the Department of Education’s (DOE’s) motion for summary judgment in this slip and fall case should not have been granted. Plaintiff slipped and fell on an exterior step of a school. Questions of fact were raised about the applicability of the storm in progress rule, whether the defect was trivial, and whether the plaintiff was injured by the condition he was hired to repair. However, the City’s motion for summary judgment was properly granted because the slip and fall occurred on DOE property, not NYC property:

… [A]lthough it is undisputed that a storm was in progress at the time of the plaintiff’s accident, the defendants failed to eliminate triable issues of fact as to whether an allegedly defective condition with the step caused or contributed to the plaintiff’s injuries … . … There may be more than one proximate cause of an accident, and here, the defendants failed to establish, prima facie, that the alleged unevenness of the step was not a proximate cause of the plaintiff’s accident … . …

… [T]he defendants submitted the DOE’s 2010-2011 building condition assessment survey for the school, which indicated that the step was in “poor” condition, described the deficiency as “stone deteriorated substrate,” and noted “replace substrate and reset” as a potential action. Although “[p]hotographs which fairly and accurately represent the accident site may be used to establish that a defect is trivial and not actionable” … , the only photograph submitted by the defendants in their moving papers was a small, black-and-white photograph of the step in the building condition assessment survey for the school, which was indistinct and failed to establish that the alleged defect was trivial as a matter of law … . …

The defendants also failed to demonstrate their prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law on the ground that the plaintiff was injured by the condition he was responsible for repairing … . Mejias v City of New York, 2020 NY Slip Op 03008, Second Dept 5-27-20

 

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MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY PERSONNEL WERE ENGAGED IN A GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION RESPONDING TO PLAINTIFFS’ 911 CALL AND THERE WAS NO SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PLAINTIFFS; MUNICIPAL DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS NEGLIGENCE, WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION PROPERLY GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined the municipal police and ambulance defendants’ motion for summary judgment was properly granted in this negligence, wrongful death action. Plaintiff’s decedent died after his wife called 911 and the police and ambulance personnel were unable to revive him. The Second Department found that the municipal defendants were engaged in a governmental function and there was no special relationship between the plaintiffs and the municipal defendants:

… [T]he defendants were engaged in a governmental function as a provider of emergency medical services pursuant to a municipal emergency response 911 system, such that the defendants could not be held liable to the plaintiff unless they owed her a special duty … . One way to establish the existence of a special duty is by showing that the defendant assumed a “special relationship” with the plaintiff beyond the duty that is owed to the public generally … . “The plaintiff has the heavy burden of establishing the existence of a special relationship by proving all of the following elements: (1) an assumption by the municipality, through promises or actions, of an affirmative duty to act on behalf of the party who was injured; (2) knowledge on the part of the municipality’s agents that inaction could lead to harm; (3) some form of direct contact between the municipality’s agents and the injured party; and (4) [that] party’s justifiable reliance on the municipality’s affirmative undertaking” … . Of the four factors, the “justifiable reliance” element is “critical” because it “provides the essential causative link between the special duty assumed by the municipality and the alleged injury” … . …

There is nothing in the record to suggest that Officer Kelly or any of the defendants’ agents lulled the plaintiff into a false sense of security, or induced her to forego other avenues to transport her husband to the hospital, and therefore placed the plaintiff in a worse position than she would have been had the defendants never assumed the duty … . Marks-Barcia v Village of Sleepy Hollow Ambulance Corps, 2020 NY Slip Op 03007, Second Dept 5-27-20

 

THE ‘COVID-19’ EXECUTIVE ORDER GENERALLY TOLLING THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS DID NOT EXTEND THE TIME FOR FILING A PETITION TO VALIDATE A DESIGNATING PETITION, WHICH IS GOVERNED BY ANOTHER ‘COVID-19’ EXECUTIVE ORDER (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department determined the petition to validate the appellant’s designating petition was not timely commenced pursuant to Executive Order No. 202.8 passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic:

… [T]he statute of limitations for commencing this Election Law article 16 proceeding was not tolled by a provision of Executive Order (Cuomo) No. 202.8 (9 NYCRR 8.202.8), issued on March 20, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which generally tolled limitations periods. Rather, this matter is governed by chapter 24 of the Laws of 2020, passed by the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor two days before the issuance of Executive Order No. 202.8, also in response to the COVID-19 pandemic … . That legislation set a new date for the filing of designating petitions and specifically provided that the time to commence an Election Law article 16 proceeding “shall be adjusted accordingly” … . Indeed, tolling the statute of limitations when the primary election will take place on June 23, 2020, is unworkable … for commencing Election Law article 16 proceedings, pertaining to the validity of designating petitions. We note that while the courts ceased accepting papers for filing in many legal matters due to the pandemic, they continued to accept filings of emergency Election Law applications, as such matters were deemed “essential” by the Chief Administrative Judge … . Matter of Echevarria v Board of Elections in the City of N.Y., 2020 NY Slip Op 02992, Second Dept 5-21-20

 

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