Business litigation often involves both contract and tort claims. A fraud or negligence claim that is deemed “duplicative” of a breach of contract claim, however, will be dismissed. When is that the case? The Westchester Commercial Division and the Appellate Division, Second Department recently answered this question in Oceanview Associates, LLC v. HLS Builders Corp.,
CPLR 3211
“May I Make This Motion, Please?” – For Motions to Dismiss After Filing the RJI but Before the Close of Discovery, Request a Conference
Defendants usually make a CPLR 3211 motion to dismiss at the outset of the case and file it together with a Request for Judicial Intervention (RJI). In that situation, a defendant can simply file the motion without contacting the court in advance. When a defendant makes a later motion to dismiss, though, it is best…
Westchester Commercial Division Enforces a Forum Selection Clause Requiring Litigation in Nassau County
We’ve previously written about how judges in the Westchester Commercial Division will dismiss cases in which the contract at issue contains a forum selection clause requiring the parties to resolve their dispute elsewhere. On September 10, 2019, Justice Linda Jamieson issued another decision doing just that.
Satin v. 1-800 NY Bulbs Limited, Index No. …
What Can Go Wrong When Firing an Employee With “Skin in the Game”
Sometimes, companies want employees to think like owners, and for good reason. With a vested interest in their work and the team’s success, employees are more motivated to perform at the highest level. They also focus on what’s best for the business rather than just themselves. But firing an employee with “skin in the game”…
“Dual Agency” Disclosure Lawsuit Against Houlihan Lawrence Proceeds
In real estate agency relationships, an agent owes its client, a buyer or seller of property, fiduciary duties, including duties of undivided loyalty, reasonable care, and confidentiality. Due to the increasing number of large brokerage firms, “dual agency” deals have become commonplace. A dual agency occurs when an agent represents the buyer and the seller…
Property Sellers’ Representations About Existing Facts Survive Closing
Ordinarily in real estate sales, the seller’s pre-closing representations do not survive the closing unless the contract expressly states that they do. The situation is different, however, when the seller has made a pre-closing representation about a then-existing fact, like whether the tenants are current in rent. That was the state of facts alleged by…
Westchester Commercial Division Enforces a Forum Selection Clause Requiring Litigation in Another State
Most commercial contracts contain a choice of law and forum selection clause. If the contract says that disputes between the parties will only be heard in Delaware courts, the defendant can move to dismiss based on documentary evidence – the contract and the forum selection clause. Similarly, if a plaintiff files a breach of contract…