South Pierre Associates v. Meyers

On January 13, 2006, in South Pierre Associates v. Meyers, Sup.Ct. N.Y.Co., Index No. 105682/05 , the New York Supreme Court rendered a critical decision on the issue of summary judgment in an action based on causes of action including fraud, breach of the employee’s duties of loyalty to his employer and negligence. Kucker Marino Winiarsky & Bittens, LLP had filed a pre-discovery motion for summary judgment in which the firm argued this particular action warranted the imposition of a partial final award of liability in favor of the plaintiffs on all five causes of action alleged in the complaint (including fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of employment, breach of agent-principal relationship and negligence.] Kucker Marino Winiarsky & Bittens argued and the court agreed that summary judgment was appropriate, even on the fraud claim, based on two affidavits by defendant in another action, in which he admitted all of the facts necessary to establish his liability to plaintiffs by having acted contrary to the interests of his employers. Defendant’s efforts to recant his prior sworn statements in the other action were unsuccessful. The trial court transferred the case to the Civil Court for an assessment of damages.