Discovery

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In Bennett v. State, No. 152438/2023, 2024 WL 4896499 (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County Nov. 21, 2024), the court denied plaintiff’s motion for partial summary judgment against defendant on plaintiff’s claims of sexual harassment and retaliation. This decision illustrates the general principle that courts are reluctant to grant summary judgment at a stage in…

Read More Cuomo Sexual Harassment Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment Denied
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In a recent case, O’Rear v. Diaz, 24 Civ. 1669 (PAE), 2024 WL 4903722 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 27, 2024), the court addressed an issue arising in a number of employment discrimination/sexual harassment cases, namely, the production of sexual harassment and sexual assault complaints by employees other than the plaintiff. From the decision: Plaintiff S. O’Rear sues…

Read More Plaintiff Entitled to Discovery of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Complaints Made by Employees, Court Rules
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In New York practice, there are many devices available to the parties for obtaining information as part of the discovery (in NY, “disclosure”) phase of civil litigation. These include Interrogatories, Demands for Documents and Things, Depositions, and (as will be discussed here) Requests for Admissions. New York Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR) 3123 provides:[1]In…

Read More The Notice to Admit in New York Practice
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“Interrogatories” are a discovery tool (among many) used in lawsuits in New York courts. In sum, these are written questions seeking specific information – including the identification of witnesses and the factual bases for a party’s contentions – pertinent to the case. The use of interrogatories is specified in Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR…

Read More Interrogatories in New York Practice
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In litigation, “spoliation of evidence” occurs when a litigant, intentionally or negligently, disposes of crucial items of evidence before their adversary has an opportunity to inspect them. See generally New York Pattern Jury Instructions (PJI) 1:77; New York Motions in Limine § 9:24 (2024 ed.). As explained by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the…

Read More Spoliation of Evidence in New York Civil Litigation
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In Dubey v. Visiting Nurse Service of New York, No. 158452/2022, 2024 WL 1973051 (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County Apr. 30, 2024), the court denied defendant’s motion to compel deposition questions to which plaintiff objected on the ground of confidentiality. From the decision: In this action alleging employment discrimination, hostile work environment, and retaliation…

Read More Court Bars Questions About Prior Confidentially-Resolved Discrimination Lawsuit
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Plaintiff has filed and served their Complaint, and the Defendant has either filed their Answer, or made a motion to dismiss which the Court has denied. At this point, we enter the most involved, costly, and time-consuming stage of litigation: Discovery (“Disclosure” in New York practice).  (If this were a cross-country road trip from New…

Read More Anatomy of a Lawsuit, Part 4: Discovery / Disclosure
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In Crandall v. Equinox Holdings, Inc., 2022 NY Slip Op 34161(U), Index No. 157373/2018 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. N.Y. Cty. Dec. 8, 2022) – arising from an alleged sexual assault in an Equinox steam room – the court, inter alia, denied plaintiff’s motion to vacate the Note of Issue, effectively precluding plaintiff from conducting depositions of…

Read More Failure to Comply With Court Order Results in Waiver of Depositions
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In Bush v. Alliant Content, LLC, 2022 NY Slip Op 22199 (NY Sup. Ct. Westchester Cty. July 5, 2022), the court ruled on an issue that became particularly relevant during the COVID pandemic, namely, whether a deposition – a proceeding, part of the “discovery” process in civil litigation, comprising the interposition of real-time questions to…

Read More Unvaccinated Cancer Survivor Must Appear For In-Person Deposition, Court Rules
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