McCann v. State

181 Misc. 2d 284
CourtNew York Court of Claims
DecidedMay 21, 1999
DocketClaim No. 95506
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 181 Misc. 2d 284 (McCann v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McCann v. State, 181 Misc. 2d 284 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1999).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Francis T. Collins, J.

The motion of the defendant for an order pursuant to CPLR 3212 dismissing the claim on the merits and for lack of jurisdiction upon the ground that claimant did not serve and file a claim or serve a notice of intention to file a claim within 90 days of accrual is granted. The cross motion of the claimant for an order pursuant to CPLR 3212 dismissing the first affirmative defense set forth in the defendant’s answer, granting claimant summary judgment upon the liability issue, granting claimant summary judgment upon the damages issue or, in the alternative, granting claimant an immediate trial date upon the damages issue is denied. Claimant’s alternative request for relief pursuant to Court of Claims Act § 10 (6) permitting her to serve and file a late claim is also denied.

Claimant was employed by the Saranac Lake Central School District as a probationary school teacher from September of [286]*2861988 through June of 1990. In May of 1990, Superintendent of Schools Thomas Christopher recommended to the Board of Education that claimant not be rehired for the 1990-1991 school year, which recommendation was accepted by the Board. In July of 1990, claimant complained to the Albany Office of the New York State Division of Human Rights (the Division) that her employment was terminated as the result of sexual discrimination. On August 27, 1990, claimant verified an administrative complaint setting forth her charges of discrimination. By letter dated September 20, 1990, the Division of Human Rights forwarded a copy of the complaint to Superintendent Christopher. On October 4, 1990, Superintendent Christopher sent a letter to the Division of Human Rights responding to the complaint by denying the allegations contained therein. The case was heard before an Administrative Law Judge on September 13 and 14 and November 22 of 1993. On February 28, 1995, the Commissioner of the State Division of Human Rights issued an order directing the School District to reinstate claimant with back pay and to pay her an additional $100,000 as compensatory damages for mental pain and suffering. The School District appealed to the Third Department arguing that claimant had failed to serve a verified claim upon the governing body of the School District within 90 days after the accrual of the claim as required by Education Law § 3813 (1). The School District argued that absent compliance with Education Law § 3813 the administrative order had to be annulled. In the case of Matter of Saranac Lake Cent. School Dist. v New York State Div. of Human Rights (226 AD2d 794, 796, lv denied 88 NY2d 816), the Third Department held:

“The claim in this case, which is based in part on allegations that complainant’s employment was terminated due to her gender, arose when her employment was terminated at the end of June 1990 (see, Hoger v Thomann, 189 AD2d 1048, 1050). The complaint, which contains sufficient detail to give the required notice, was filed with the Division no later than September 11, 1990, which is within the 90-day period. The Division was required to ‘promptly serve’ a copy of the complaint on petitioner (Executive Law § 297 [2] [a]), but in contrast to Deposit Cent. School Dist. v Public Empl. Relations Bd. (supra), there is no evidence in the record that petitioner’s board of education actually received the complaint within the 90-day period.

“Nor do the procedures set forth in Executive Law § 297 ensure that the board of education will receive notice within [287]*287the 90-day period. Education Law § 3813 (1) requires that the notice of claim be presented to the ‘governing body of the school district, and there can be no substantial compliance unless the statutory requirements mandating notification to the proper public body have been fulfilled (see, Parochial Bus Sys. v Board of Educ., 60 NY2d 539, 547-548, supra). Absent the required notice of claim, and absent sufficient evidence to establish substantial compliance with the notice of claim requirement, no action or proceeding may be maintained against petitioner (Education Law § 3813 [1]). The Division’s determination must, therefore, be annulled.”

On October 22, 1996, the Deputy Clerk of the Court of Appeals executed an order denying the Division of Human Rights’ motion for permission to appeal. This claim alleging negligence on the part of employees of the Division of Human Rights was filed with the court on January 21, 1997. The claim alleges that the claimant’s cause of action accrued on October 22, 1996 when the Court of Appeals denied the motion for leave to appeal. The alleged negligence is set forth in paragraph 11 of the claim as follows: “Claimant’s injuries and damages were caused by the negligence of the State of New York — Division of Human Rights of the Executive Department, its officers, agents and employees, and without any fault or negligence on the part of claimant contributing thereto. The negligence of the State of New York, its Division of Human Rights, its officers, agents and employees consisted of, among other things, negligently failing to perform the ministerial act required by § 297(2)(a) of serving a copy of claimant’s complaint aforesaid on the Saranac Lake Central School District as required by law in a proper and timely fashion, in failing to properly train and instruct the officers, agents or employees of the Division of Human Rights so that the officers, agents or employees to timely and properly comply with the statutory requirements of § 297(2)(a) of the Executive Law of the State of New York, in failing to properly supervise the officers, agents or employees of the Division of Human Rights so as to assure their full compliance with the statutory requirements of § 297(2)(a) of the Executive Law of the State of New York, in failing to present evidence in the record of the proceedings in the Division of Human Rights that the Board of Education of the Saranac Lake Central School District duly and timely received a copy of the aforesaid complaint filed by claimant with said Division no later than September 11, 1990 in accordance with law, in failing to timely discover its negligent failure to timely and properly comply [288]*288with § 297(2)(a) of the Executive Law of the State of New York so that an application for a judicial order to extend its time to serve a copy of said complaint as allowed by Education Law § 3813(2-a) could be presented and secured for such purpose, in failing to make application for a judicial order to extend the time to serve said complaint pursuant to Education Law § [3813 (2-a)] after receiving notice and actual knowledge of its negligent failure to comply with said statutory requirement, and in being otherwise careless and negligent in their prosecution and presentation of claimant’s case, to the great and permanent injury and damage of claimant.”

The first affirmative defense set forth in the answer is that the court lacks personal and subject matter jurisdiction as the claim was not filed or served within the 90-day time period set forth in Court of Claims Act § 10 (3). Discovery was completed and the trial term note of issue and certificate of readiness were filed on October 2, 1998. Both parties seek summary judgment upon the liability issue.

The Attorney General contends that the claim was not timely filed and served in that claimant’s cause of action accrued on April 4, 1996, the date of entry of the Appellate Division order. In addition, the defendant argues that the claim lacks merit.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
181 Misc. 2d 284, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mccann-v-state-nyclaimsct-1999.