The doctrine of primary jurisdiction.

The doctrine of primary jurisdiction coordinates the relationship between courts and administrative agencies so that any divergence of opinion between them does not render ineffective the statutes with which both are concerned. The doctrine applies to the extent that the matter before the court is within the agency's specialized field. Under the doctrine, there is concurrent jurisdiction, but where an administrative agency has the necessary expertise to dispose of an issue, the court's involvement awaits resolution of the administrative proceeding.

Calle v. National Grid USA Serv. Co., Inc., NY Slip 04190 (2d Dep't August 14, 2024)

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Statute of frauds.

Under the statute of frauds, a contract for the sale of real property must be evidenced by a writing, pursuant to General Obligations Law § 5-703[1].  In order to satisfy the statute of frauds, the writing evidencing a contract must identify the parties, describe the subject matter, be signed by the party to be charged, and state all of the essential terms of the agreement. The writing must set forth the entire contract with reasonable certainty so that the substance thereof appears from the writing alone. If the contract is incomplete and it is necessary to resort to parol evidence to ascertain what was agreed to, the remedy of specific performance is not available.

Block 865 Lot 300, LLC v. Baione, NY Slip Op 04189 (2d Dep't August 14, 2024)

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Judgments of foreclosure and sale.

In order to be entitled to a judgment of foreclosure and sale against a defendant, the plaintiff must first establish entitlement to judgment against that defendant via a summary judgment motion or a motion for leave to enter a default judgment, or at trial.

Bank of N.Y. Mellon v. Levinson, NY Slip Op 04188 (2d Dep't August 14, 2024)

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Default judgments.

A plaintiff seeking leave to enter a default judgment under CPLR 3215 must file proof of: (1) service of the summons and complaint; (2) the facts constituting the claim; and (3) the defendant's default. In order to defeat a facially sufficient CPLR 3215 motion, the defendant must show either that there was no default or that it had a reasonable excuse for its delay and a potentially meritorious defense.

Austin 26 Dental Group, PLLC v. Sino Northeast Metals (U.S.A.), Inc., NY Slip Op 04187 (2d Dep't August 14, 2024)

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Summary judgment In a slip-and-fall action.

Reference to general cleaning practices is insufficient to establish a lack of constructive notice in the absence of evidence regarding specific cleaning or inspection of the area where the accident occurred.

Ames v. Kimso Apts., Inc., NY Slip Op 04186 (2d Dep't August 14, 2024)

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Employment Law.

Under State law, "if a reasonable accommodation would permit the employee to perform the essential functions of the employee's position, the employee has a 'disability' within the meaning of the statute, and the employer cannot disadvantage the employee based on that disability." The State's definition of "disability" does not include reasonable accommodation, but City law requires that an employer "shall make reasonable accommodation to enable a person with a disability to satisfy the essential requisites of a job."  Under both State and City law, an employee's request for an accommodation is relevant to the determination of whether a reasonable accommodation can be made. In order to prevail on a motion for summary judgment, an employer must demonstrate that it engaged in a good faith interactive process that assessed the needs of the disabled individual and the reasonableness of the accommodation requested. Both the employer and the employee have a duty to engage in a good-faith dialogue once the interactive process begins, and an employee who is responsible for the breakdown of that interactive process may not recover for a failure to accommodate. City law affords broader protections than State law, and there is no accommodation that is per se excluded from the category of reasonable accommodation for purposes of the City statute.

Alvarez v. New York City Tr. Auth., NY Slip Op 04185 (2d Dep't August 14, 2024)

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Good faith and fair dealing.

The implied covenant of good faith is a limited one, as courts will find an obligation of good faith only in aid and furtherance of other terms of the agreement. A party who asserts the claim bears a heavy burden of showing not merely that it would have been better or more sensible to include such a covenant within the terms of the agreement, but, rather, that the particular unexpressed promise sought to be enforced is in fact implicit in the agreement viewed as a whole.

DirecTV, LLC v. Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc., NY Slip Op 04225 (1st Dep't August 15, 2024)

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Statute of limitations.

On a motion to dismiss a complaint pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(5) on the ground of the statute of limitations, the defendant must establish, prima facie, that the time in which to commence the action has expired. If the showing is made, the burden shifts to the plaintiff to raise a question of fact as to whether the statute of limitations is tolled or is otherwise inapplicable.

An action to foreclose a mortgage is governed by a six-year statute of limitations, pursuant to CPLR 213[4].

Comito v. Z & N Enters. Corp., NY Slip Op 04124 (2d Dep't August 7, 2024)

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Service of process.

Service of process upon a natural person must be made in strict compliance with the statutory methods of service set forth in CPLR 308. A process server's affidavit of service establishes a prima facie case as to the method of service and, therefore, gives rise to a presumption of proper service. Although a defendant's sworn denial of receipt of service generally rebuts the presumption of proper service established by a process server's affidavit and necessitates an evidentiary hearing, no hearing is required where the defendant fails to swear to specific facts to rebut the statements in the process server's affidavits. A mere conclusory denial of service is insufficient to rebut the presumption of proper service arising from the process server's affidavit. Minor discrepancies between the appearance of the person allegedly served and the description of the person served in the affidavit of service are insufficient to raise an issue of fact warranting a hearing.

Citimortgage, Inc. v. Cardali, NY Slip Op 04123 (2d Dep't August 7, 2024)

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Summary judgment.

Successive summary judgment motions are improper in the absence of newly discovered evidence or other sufficient cause.

Perretta v. New York City Tr. Auth., NY Slip Op 04184 (1st Dep't August 8, 2024)

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Discretionary vacatur.

 CPLR 5015(a)(1) provides that the court which rendered a judgment or order may relieve a party from that judgment or order on the ground of excusable default. However, a motion to vacate a judgment or order based on an excusable default must be made within one year after service thereof with notice of entry. Here, the defendant's motion to vacate the order and judgment of foreclosure and sale was made approximately 4½ years after the defendant was served with notice of entry of the order and judgment. As such, the motion was untimely.

Bank of N.Y. Mellon v. Taylor, NY Slip Op 04119 (2d Dep't August 7, 2024)

Here is the decision.