Belmet Products, Inc. v. Merit Enterprises, Inc.

37 Misc. 2d 368, 236 N.Y.S.2d 254, 1963 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2402
CourtCivil Court of the City of New York
DecidedJanuary 4, 1963
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 37 Misc. 2d 368 (Belmet Products, Inc. v. Merit Enterprises, Inc.) 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
Belmet Products, Inc. v. Merit Enterprises, Inc., 37 Misc. 2d 368, 236 N.Y.S.2d 254, 1963 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2402 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1963).

Opinion

Murray H. Pearlman, J.

This motion came on to be heard before me on December 7,1962 at which time defendant’s attorney requested time to submit his opposing affidavit. Said request was granted and the defendant was given until December 21, 1962 to submit his papers in opposition.

This action was commenced to recover the sum of $5,670.66 for goods manufactured, sold and delivered to the defendant pursuant to written orders therefor, between July 20, 1961 and December 1, 1961, including trucking charges, and upon an account stated.

The first cause of action alleged in the verified complaint is pleaded in compliance with the provisions of section 255-a of the Civil Practice Act. Annexed to the complaint is a schedule itemizing and describing each of the items sued for, the agreed price thereof and the dates of delivery of each. Defendant’s answer fails to comply with the provisions of the aforesaid section 255-a of the Civil Practice Act and thus leaves no issue with respect to the allegations of the first cause of action. [370]*370(Simmons Co. v. Well Diggers, 206 Misc. 874; Spiegel, Inc. v. Fashion Play Togs, 83 N. Y. S. 2d 762; Bertolf Bros. v. Leuthardt, 261 App. Div. 981; International Milk Co. v. Cohen, 219 App. Div. 308; Sinram Bros. v. Naples Realty Co., 224 App. Div. 369.)

Moreover, in defendant’s examination before trial, quoted verbatim in the moving affidavit, defendant’s officer, expressly conceded by stipulation on the record that defendant received the described items sued for and that it has not paid the agreed prices therefor, including the trucking charges. Additionally, defendant’s affidavit expressly admits plaintiff’s first cause of action saying: Defendant intentionally does not deny delivery, reasonable value or agreed price ”.

It appears affirmatively that no issues of fact exist as to plaintiff’s first cause of action, and that it is thus entitled to summary judgment thereon, despite defendant’s interposition of a counterclaim, the subject matter of which will be discussed, ante. (Nopco Chem. Co. v. Milner, 12 A D 2d 942; Smith v. Cranleigh, Inc., 224 App. Div. 376; Gallagher Switchboard Corp. v. Heckler Elec. Co., 34 Misc 2d 256.)

As to plaintiff’s second cause of action on an account stated, the answer merely denies the same upon information and belief. The answering affidavit repeats that form of denial and fails to factually show that the defendant did not receive, retain and thus accept the statements of account mailed to the defendant, as sworn to in the verified complaint and moving affidavit.

On his examination before trial, defendant’s officer, when asked whether defendant had received plaintiff’s statements of December 31, 1961 and of January 31, 1962, replied that he did not know. Certainly, since the examination before trial, defendant has had ample opportunity to ascertain whether it received, retained and thus accepted plaintiff’s statements of account as rendered. The unsupported denial, upon information and belief, is insufficient to raise any issue of fact on plaintiff’s second cause of action. (New York Tel. Co. v. Ladenheim Fixtures Corp., 14 Misc 2d 939.)

Before proceeding to a discussion of the alleged defense and counterclaim interposed by the defendant, it may be well to restate the principle that the mere assertion of a counterclaim unsupported by evidentiary proof that it is factually and legally sustainable at trial does not bar relief to a plaintiff under rule 113 of the Buies of Civil Practice (Nopco Chem. Co. v. Milner, supra; Smith v. Cranleigh, Inc., supra and cases therein cited; Gallagher Switchboard Corp. v. Heckler Elec. Co., supra; Kleinman v. B. & M. Cleaners, 37 Misc 2d 117).

[371]*371The rule has always been that to defeat a motion for summary judgment, evidentiary facts, not surmise, conjecture, arguments, hearsay or suspicion, must be shown (Shapiro v. Health Ins. Plan of Greater N. Y., 7NY 2d 56, 63). “ The very object of a motion * * * is to separate what is formal or pretended in denial or averment from what is genuine and substantial, so that only the latter may subject a suitor to the burden of a trial ” (Richard v. Credit Suisse, 242 N. Y. 346, 350). The proof offered by affidavit or otherwise must disclose the presence of a genuine triable issue rather than a formal, feigned, perfunctory or shadowy one (Schillinger v. North Hills Realty Corp., 15 A D 2d 539, 540). The remedy would serve no useful purpose if frivolous and transparently insufficient proof were held to create a triable issue (Hanrog Distr. Corp. v. Hanioti, 10 Misc 2d 659).

The onus is on the party resisting the motion to assemble, lay bare and reveal Ms proof to show that his claim is real and capable of being established at trial (Di Sabato v. Soffes, 9 A D 2d 297, 301). In the absence of an apparent genuine and substantial issue of fact, the court may and should dispose of the matter upon the law and direct judgment accordingly (Ball v. United Artists Corp., 13 A D 2d 133, 135-136; see, also, Irving Weis and Co. v. Offenberger, 31 Misc 2d 628).

Defendant’s first defense — not by way of counterclaim — alleges untimely delivery of certain parts to be used by defendant in the manufacture and sale of certain skillets. In the absence of plea and proof of damages occasioned by said untimely delay, the pleaded delay does not constitute a bar to plaintiff’s recovery. Moreover, the unquestioned acceptance of late deliveries and payment for them, which is the case here, constitutes full performance of plaintiff’s obligation. “From acceptance without complaint, from payment for the goods in full without objection, the inference of fact may, at times, arise that there was an implied agreement that the belated delivery should be accepted by the buyer as full satisfaction of the seller’s obligation. Failure to give notice of claim of breach is, even without the statute, cogent proof of such an understanding and agreement.” (Atwater & Co. v. Panama R. R. Co., 255 N. Y. 496, 502.) (See, also, Robinson Clay Prods. Co. of N. Y. v. Thatcher & Sons, 150 N. Y. S. 658; Kraut v. Nordlinger, 216 App. Div. 409.)

Defendant’s letter of December 16, 1960 attached to the answering affidavit, refers to delay in delivery of “production samples ’ ’ and not to the manufactured covers and pans which it later accepted and paid for without complaint as to untimeliness.

[372]*372The written orders between the parties for the manufacture of the dies, skillets and covers provided in part as follows:

commercial stamping: The only warranty which the seller makes in connection with the material furnished buyer under the terms of the buyers order is that material used shall be of a good quality and that all stamping shall conform to the commercial standard generally employed in the metal stamping trade.
# # #
claims: Written claims for shortages must be made within one week from receipt of the goods. If any material furnished by Seller proves defective, or not as ordered, he must be notified in writing within one week from receipt of shipment

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37 Misc. 2d 368, 236 N.Y.S.2d 254, 1963 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2402, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/belmet-products-inc-v-merit-enterprises-inc-nycivct-1963.