Bldg Management Co. v. Schwartz

3 Misc. 3d 351, 773 N.Y.S.2d 242, 2004 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 112
CourtCivil Court of the City of New York
DecidedFebruary 9, 2004
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 3 Misc. 3d 351 (Bldg Management Co. v. Schwartz) 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
Bldg Management Co. v. Schwartz, 3 Misc. 3d 351, 773 N.Y.S.2d 242, 2004 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 112 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2004).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Michelle D. Schreiber, J.

Petitioner commenced this holdover proceeding against the executor of the estate of Robert Mooney claiming the estate illegally sublet or assigned the rent-stabilized subject premises to underrespondent Frank Garcia. Mr. Garcia is the only respondent who has appeared in the case. On October 9, 2002 he served a written answer in which he asserts succession rights to the subject premises as a nontraditional family member under Rent Stabilization Code (9 NYCRR) § 2523.5 (b) and § 2520.6 (o) (2) because he lived with the deceased prime tenant, Robert Mooney, as his domestic partner for more than two years prior to Mr. Mooney’s death. The answer included a demand for a jury trial. The case was marked off calendar on March 24, 2003 pending document production and a deposition of Mr. Garcia. The discovery was concluded and on November 3, 2003, pursuant to a stipulation, the case was restored to the calendar; the answer was amended only to the extent of including an affirmative defense and counterclaim for breach of warranty of habitability. The petitioner moved to strike the jury demand and for outstanding use and occupancy; the motion was denied on December 8, 2003 as petitioner failed to appear after checking in to the Part.

On January 9, 2004 respondent moved for an order requiring petitioner to identify and produce all of the subpoenas it issued, quashing three subpoenas known to have been issued, quashing any additional subpoenas issued by petitioner which may be improper, directing petitioner’s counsel to produce the original of any document received in response to the improper subpoenas, staying issuance of any further improper subpoenas, suppressing all information obtained directly in response to any improper subpoena, and awarding costs and attorney’s fees pursuant to 22 NYCRR 130-1.1 (a) based on frivolous conduct. Petitioner cross-moved to strike the jury demand and for outstanding use and occupancy.

Respondent states that he discovered that petitioner’s counsel, Lawrence Wolf, issued three nonparty subpoenas duces tecum which state, “[m]ake telephone inquiries to Virna Maído[353]*353nado if you wish to provide required information and not have to appear in Court (212) 557-6700.” According to respondent, Ms. Maldonado is Mr. Wolfs secretary; the telephone number referred to in the subpoenas is Mr. Wolf’s office. The subpoenas were issued to Verizon-New York, Consolidated Edison and the Department of the Aging. The subpoena to the Department of the Aging was “so ordered” by this court with a directive that “a copy of this subpoena is to be served on respondent’s counsel within 48 hours of service on the Dept, of Aging.”

Respondent’s counsel states he was never served with a copy of the Department of the Aging subpoena as ordered by this court. He states that he first discovered the subpoenas on January 7, 2004 when Mr. Garcia received a letter addressed to Mr. Mooney from Verizon regarding the subpoena issued to it. Subsequently, he learned from the court clerk on January 8, 2004 of the two other subpoenas for Consolidated Edison and the Department of the Aging. Respondent’s counsel argues that issuance of these subpoenas, which direct the delivery of evidentiary materials to petitioner’s attorney’s office, and not to the court as required pursuant to CPLR 2301, constitutes “back door discovery” which has been condemned by both lower and appellate courts. (See, e.g., Henriques v Boitano, NYLJ, Oct. 27, 1999, at 27, col 3 [Civ Ct, NY County], affd NYLJ, Aug. 29, 2000, at 22, col 2 [App Term, 1st Dept], mod as to fees 304 AD2d 467 [App Div, 1st Dept 2003].)

A subpoena duces tecum may be issued by an attorney “to compel the production of specific documents that are relevant and material to facts at issue in a pending judicial proceeding.” (Matter of Terry D., 81 NY2d 1042, 1044 [1993] [internal quotation marks omitted].) However, a trial subpoena may not be used as a fishing expedition to obtain materials that could have been obtained in pretrial disclosure (Mestel & Co. v Smythe Masterson & Judd, 215 AD2d 329 [1st Dept 1995]), nor should it be used as a substitute for discovery or “to ascertain the existence of evidence.” (Matter of Terry D., 81 NY2d at 1044.) Disclosure in summary proceedings is further limited pursuant to CPLR 408 by the need to obtain leave of court.

Service requirements for subpoenas duces tecum are found in articles 23 (“Subpoenas, Oaths and Affirmations”) and 31 (“Disclosure”) of the CPLR. In a summary proceeding, after obtaining leave of court, CPLR 3120 (3) states that a party issuing a subpoena duces tecum to another party or any other [354]*354person1 shall at the same time serve a copy of the subpoena upon all other parties and, within five days of compliance, give to each party notice that the items produced are available for inspection and copying, specifying the time and place. CPLR 2301 allows an attorney of record for a party to issue a subpoena duces tecum requiring the production of documents in court for trial. Effective January 1, 2004, CPLR 2303 (a) (see L 2003, ch 547, § 1), like CPLR 3120 (3), requires service of a subpoena duces tecum “on each party who has appeared in the action so that it is received by such parties promptly after service on the witness and before the production of books, papers or other things.”

In Henriques v Boitano (NYLJ, Oct. 27, 1999, at 27, col 3 [Civ Ct, NY County], affd NYLJ, Aug. 29, 2000, at 22, col 2 [App Term, 1st Dept], mod as to fees 304 AD2d 467 [App Div, 1st Dept 2003]), petitioner’s counsel issued, without notice to respondents, subpoenas duces tecum indicating that the information could be sent directly to the office of counsel for the petitioner in order to obviate the need for an appearance in court. The Appellate Term held that the subpoenas were improper due, inter alia, to the inclusion of “cover letters which, as the motion court accurately described, were ‘calculated to yield a turnover of documents directly to Petitioner’s counsel.’ ” (NYLJ, Aug. 29, 2000, at 22, col 2.) The court further found that suppression of the information obtained was appropriate since the course followed by the attorney was at “variance with acceptable discovery practice.” (NYLJ, Aug. 29, 2000, at 22, col 2 [internal quotation marks omitted], quoting Matter of Beiny, 129 AD2d 126, 133 [1st Dept 1987], appeal dismissed 71 NY2d 994 [1988].) In addition, it upheld the propriety of sanctions for the conduct which it agreed was frivolous.

Here, petitioner issued three subpoenas on nonparties and failed to serve a copy of the subpoenas on the respondent’s counsel. Not only were the subpoenas not served on all parties, but in addition they contained improper language suggesting that the witnesses could bypass a court appearance and merely supply information to petitioner’s counsel. Finally, the subpoena [355]*355on the Department of the Aging was signed by this court with a directive that petitioner serve the subpoena on respondent’s counsel within 48 hours of service on the Department of the Aging.2 Petitioner failed to comply with that order.

In opposition to the motion Mr. Wolf states that he is aware that discovery in summary proceedings must be on notice to his adversary but asserts that this is not true for issuance of trial subpoenas. It appears Mr. Wolf may not have been aware of the revised provisions of the CPLR noted above.

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Bluebook (online)
3 Misc. 3d 351, 773 N.Y.S.2d 242, 2004 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 112, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bldg-management-co-v-schwartz-nycivct-2004.