Most New York practitioners are aware that certain causes of action are triable by a jury, while other claims are triable only by the court. For example, causes of action for money damages, such as tort claims, contract claims, and certain statutory claims, are triable by a jury, while equitable claims, such as claims for
All You Need Is Love… And An Articulable Nexus Of Fraud
What can you do when the parties you are suing are effectively judgment-proof? Oftentimes, plaintiffs will try to go after a defendant’s family member or related entity. However, as we see in a recent case from the courtroom of Manhattan Commercial Division Justice Robert R. Reed, New York courts require more than just a…
Oops! They Did it Again: New York Courts Continue to Dismiss Lawsuits Based on Contractual Disclaimers
A few weeks ago, I blogged about the Arco Acquisitions, LLC, v Tiffany Plaza LLC et al. decision, in which Suffolk County Commercial Division Justice Elizabeth Hazlitt Emerson held that the plaintiff’s fraud claims were barred by the specific disclaimer provisions contained in the parties’ agreement to purchase commercial real property.
A recent decision from…
Fraud Claims Dismissed Based on the “As Is, Where Is, and With All Faults” Contractual Provision
Nobody likes fraud claims asserted against them. Thankfully for defendants, fraud claims are notoriously difficult to prove, and defendants often try to have these claims dismissed at the pleading stage.
An express disclaimer in a contract is often a popular avenue for litigants facing a fraud claim to move for dismissal. A recent Commercial Division…
A Gentle Reminder to Get Specific with Your General Releases
[I] irrevocably release and forever discharge [the Company] . . . from any and all actions, causes of action, suits, debts, claims, complaints, liabilities, obligations, charges, contracts, controversies, agreements, promises, damages, expenses, counterclaims, cross-claims, [etc.] whatsoever, in law or equity, known or unknown, [I] ever had, now have, or may have against the [Company] from
…
The Ball is in Who’s Court?: Commercial Division Denies Plaintiffs’ Attempt to Invalidate Forum-Selection Clause in Promissory Notes
Most commercial contracts contain a choice of law provision and/or forum-selection clause. Under New York law, it is well recognized “that parties to a contract may freely select a forum which will resolve any disputes over the interpretation or performance of the contract” (Brooke Group Ltd v JCH Syndicate 488 et al). Recently,…
Vacating An Arbitration Award: Part II
You may have recently read on this blog that “vacating an arbitration award is an uphill battle.” As my colleague Hamutal G. Lieberman discussed, there are only two instances when an arbitration award may be vacated: (1) instances involving fraud, corruption or misconduct of the arbitrators or (2) where an arbitration award exhibits…
Personal Jurisdiction Over Japanese Airplane Entities Does Not Fly in New York County
In a recent decision, Justice Scarpulla of the New York County Commercial Division declined to exercise personal jurisdiction over several Japanese entities, and even imposed sanctions on the plaintiff for attempting to relitigate its already-decided claims in New York.
Defendant ANA Aircraft Technics, Co., Ltd. (“ANA Technics”) maintained a fleet of airplanes owned and…
Treasury Secretary Escapes Fraud Claims
On June 5, 2018, in RKA Film Financing, LLC v. Kavanaugh et al., the First Department unanimously affirmed the Supreme Court, New York County’s decision absolving the United States Secretary of the Treasury, Steven Mnuchin, of fraud claims brought by RKA Film Financing LLC (“RKA”), a media financing company.
By way of…
When Does Intentional Wrongdoing Render a “Limitation of Liability” Clause Unenforceable?
That was the issue presented to the Appellate Division, First Department in Electron Trading, LLC v. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, which was an appeal from the grant of defendant’s motion to dismiss a contractual claim seeking damages above the amount allowable under the contract’s limitation of liability clause. Justice Saliann Scarpulla granted defendant’s…