1202 Realty Assoc. v. Evans

126 Misc. 2d 99, 481 N.Y.S.2d 208, 1984 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3556
CourtCivil Court of the City of New York
DecidedJuly 25, 1984
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 126 Misc. 2d 99 (1202 Realty Assoc. v. Evans) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Civil Court of the City of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
1202 Realty Assoc. v. Evans, 126 Misc. 2d 99, 481 N.Y.S.2d 208, 1984 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3556 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1984).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Margaret Cammer, J.

Respondents move to consolidate 23 nonpayment proceedings for trial, pursuant to CPLR 602 (subd [a]) and CCA 110 (subd [b]). Petitioner cross-moves to strike respondents’ jury demand on the ground that certain of these tenants have signed leases containing jury waiver clauses.

Consolidation or joint trial not only saves time, trouble and expense, but also may prevent contradictory decisions based on the same facts. (See 2 Weinstein-Korn-Miller, NY Civ Prac, par 602.04; Shlansky & Bro. v Grossman, 273 App Div 544.) Where several “actions involving a common question of law or fact are pending before a court” (CPLR 602, subd [a]) and no substantial right would be prejudiced (see Lee v Schmeltzer, 229 App Div 206; Denton v Koshfer, 201 Misc 394), the court has discretion to order consolidation. Further, and more specifically applicable to [100]*100the instant motion, CCA 110 (subd [b]) requires that the court, on application of any party, “shall, unless good cause is shown to the contrary, consolidate all actions and proceedings pending * * * as to any building.” (Emphasis supplied.)

These proceedings are ripe for consolidation. All the respondents are tenants in the same building, located at 1202 Avenue K in Brooklyn. All the proceedings are for nonpayment of rent and allegedly involved building-wide defective conditions, including lack of heat and hot water, leaks and lack of painting and plastering. All respondents are being sued for alleged arrears in rent involving the same time period, and all have raised identical defenses, including breach of the warranty of habitability, repair and setoff, payment, res judicata and collateral estoppel. Put simply, these 23 respondents are apparently engaged in a concerted rent-withholding action, better known as a “rent strike”. The conclusion that these proceedings involve “a common question of law or fact” (CPLR 602, subd [a]) in “all actions and proceedings pending * * * as to any building” (CCA 110, subd [b]) is thus inescapable.

Notably, petitioner does not dispute consolidation in its answering papers but instead cross-moves to strike respondents’ jury demands. To support its position, petitioner has produced copies of written leases for 11 of the 23 respondents, 10 of which plainly contain jury waiver clauses.

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Related

People v. Podolsky
130 Misc. 2d 987 (New York Supreme Court, 1985)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
126 Misc. 2d 99, 481 N.Y.S.2d 208, 1984 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3556, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/1202-realty-assoc-v-evans-nycivct-1984.