In Matter of Nonhuman Rights Project, Inc. v. Breheny, 2022 NY Slip Op 03859 (N.Y. Ct. App. June 14, 2022), the New York Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court’s determination that the writ of habeas corpus is unavailable where the liberty interest at issue is not that of a “human being,” but rather of an…
Read More [Un]Happy Result: Elephants, as Nonhuman Beings, May Not Invoke Habeas CorpusIn Sassi v. Mobile Life Support Services, No. 55, 2021 N.Y. Slip Op. 05449, 2021 WL 4732794 (N.Y., Oct. 12, 2021), the New York Court of Appeals broadly construed the New York laws prohibiting discrimination based on a prior criminal conviction. From the decision: On this appeal, based on the arguments preserved by the parties,…
Read More NY Court of Appeals Provides Plaintiff-Favorable Interpretation of Criminal Conviction Discrimination LawIn Doe v. Bloomberg, L.P., et al., 2021 N.Y. Slip Op. 00898, 2021 WL 496608 (N.Y. Ct. App., Feb. 11, 2021), the New York Court of Appeals affirmed a First Department decision declining to impose vicarious liability on defendant Michael Bloomberg, under the New York City Human Rights Law, for the alleged harassment committed by…
Read More Court of Appeals Clarifies Standard for Individual Liability as “Employers” for Discrimination Under the New York City Human Rights LawOn January 7, 2020, the New York Court of Appeals – which, for those unfamiliar with New York’s court system, is our highest court – heard (remote) oral argument in the case captioned Doe v. Bloomberg, L.P. et al. In this case, plaintiff alleges, among other things, that while employed as a temporary employee for Bloomberg…
Read More NY Court of Appeals Hears Oral Argument in Case as to Individual Liability (Here, of Michael Bloomberg) Under the NYC Human Rights LawIn Hewitt v. Palmer Veterinary Clinic, PC, No. 28, 2020 N.Y. Slip Op. 05975, 2020 WL 6163313 (N.Y., Oct. 22, 2020), the New York Court of Appeals held that the so-called “vicious propensity notice” rule – generally applicable to situations where an injury results from a domestic animal – was inapplicable here, where the alleged attack…
Read More “Vicious Propensity” Rule Inapplicable to Claim Arising From Dog Attack in Veterinary Clinic Waiting RoomIn Matter of Vega (Postmates Inc. – Commissioner of Labor), 2020 NY Slip Op 02094 (NY Ct. App. March 26, 2020), the New York Court of Appeals – which, for non-NY practitioners, is our highest state-level appellate court – held that Postmates couriers are “employees” for purposes of unemployment benefits. This case arises from a…
Read More Court of Appeals: Postmates Couriers Are “Employees” For Purposes of Unemployment InsuranceIn a September 6, 2018 decision issued in the litigation captioned Deidre Holmes Clark v. Allen & Overy LLP, the New York Court of Appeals inter alia denied the plaintiff’s motion seeking leave to appeal a March 8, 2018 Appellate Division, First Department decision affirming a Supreme Court order dismissing plaintiff’s complaint and awarding sanctions for frivolous conduct. In this…
Read More Court of Appeals Declines to Hear Appeal of Dismissal of Sexual Harassment Lawsuit in Clark v. Allen & Overy LawsuitIn Forman v. Henkin, 2018 NY Slip Op 01015 (N.Y. Ct. App. Feb. 13, 2018), a personal injury case, the New York Court of Appeals provided guidance on how courts should evaluate discovery requests for discovery of information from litigants’ social media accounts. Judge DiFiore wrote: [C]ourts addressing disputes over the scope of social media discovery should…
Read More NY Court of Appeals Outlines Standards for Social Media DiscoveryIn Kimmel v. State, No. 36, 2017 WL 1838940 (N.Y. May 9, 2017), the New York Court of Appeals (the state’s highest court) held that the state Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), codified at CPLR Article 86, “permits the award of attorneys’ fees and costs to a prevailing plaintiff in an action against the State…
Read More NY Court of Appeals: Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) Permits Award of Attorney Fees to Prevailing Plaintiffs in Actions Against NY State Under the NYS Human Rights Law For Sex Discrimination in Employment By a State AgencyIn Griffin v. Sirva, Inc., No. 35, 2017 WL 1712423 (N.Y. May 4, 2017), the New York Court of Appeals addressed three certified questions – posed to it by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit[1]Griffin v. Sirva Inc., 835 F3d 283 (2d Cir. 2016) – regarding liability under the New York State…
Read More Court of Appeals Clarifies Liability Under the NYS Human Rights Law Regarding Discrimination Based on Criminal Conviction