National City Commercial Capital Co. v. Becker Real Estate Services, Inc.

24 Misc. 3d 912, 885 N.Y.S.2d 173
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedMay 4, 2009
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 24 Misc. 3d 912 (National City Commercial Capital Co. v. Becker Real Estate Services, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
National City Commercial Capital Co. v. Becker Real Estate Services, Inc., 24 Misc. 3d 912, 885 N.Y.S.2d 173 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2009).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Emily Pines, J.

Ordered that upon all the papers presented and oral argument being held before the court, the motion (motion sequence No. 001) by plaintiff for summary judgment is granted to the extent set forth below; and it is further ordered that a hearing on the amount of counsel fees is scheduled for June 1, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. before the undersigned.

This is an action by plaintiff seeking to recover under an equipment finance lease (the lease) entered into on or about August 14, 2006, between defendant, as lessee, and General Electric Capital Corporation (GE Capital). According to plaintiff’s affidavit, the lease was subsequently sold and assigned to plaintiff in or about December of 2006 pursuant to a master assignment agreement, and defendant was notified of the assignment by notice of assignment dated December 10, 2006. Pursuant to the terms of the lease, plaintiff financed defendant’s lease of certain equipment from nonparty Capital 4, Inc., at the rate of $1,303.57 per month for a period of 60 months at an interest rate of 10.6%. The lease specifically [914]*914provided that, “LESSOR MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING NO WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Lessor is a funding source only.” The lease specifically provided that time was of the essence and defendant agreed to make all payments when due, regardless of any problems with the equipment. The lease further provided that in the event of a default under the lease, plaintiff was entitled to immediately take possession of the equipment and also to collect all costs of collection, including reasonable attorneys’ fees. By lease modification dated August 14, 2006, the monthly payment amount was amended to $1,796.66 at the same 10.6% interest rate.

In addition to the lease, defendant also executed a “Delivery and Acceptance Certificate,” wherein defendant acknowledged that lessor was not the manufacturer, distributor or supplier of the equipment and has no knowledge or familiarity with the condition, capacity, functionality or with any other characteristics of the equipment. Moreover, in the delivery and acceptance certificate, defendant acknowledged that this was a finance lease in accordance with Uniform Commercial Code article 2-A.

Plaintiff alleges that defendant defaulted under the terms of the lease in that it has failed to make the required monthly payments for September 14, 2007 and each month thereafter. Plaintiff has thus declared the lease in default and demanded the accelerated balance, plus late charges, in the total amount of $86,860.52. Additionally, based on the default, plaintiff also seeks immediate and permanent title and possession of the lease equipment, plus attorneys’ fees.

Plaintiff now moves for summary judgment on the ground that there are no genuine issues of fact and judgment should be granted as a matter of law. Plaintiff argues that there is no dispute that defendant entered into the lease and failed to make payments. Moreover, plaintiff asserts that the sole issue raised by defendant involves a third party over whom plaintiff has no control. Plaintiff argues that pursuant to the “hell or high water” provision of the lease, defendant was required to make all payments to plaintiff when due, regardless of any problems with the equipment or vendor. Plaintiff asserts that such provision is specifically authorized by UCC article 2-A and must be enforced by the court. Additionally, plaintiff asserts that defendant is barred by the lease from asserting any allegations against GE Capital, the original lessor. Moreover, plaintiff [915]*915argues, the lease provided a specific disclaimer wherein defendant acknowledged that “neither the Equipment vendor nor any broker is an agent of Lessor, nor are they authorized to waive or alter in any way the Lease terms. Their representations and acts in no way affect the Lessee’s rights and obligations set forth in this Lease.” Also, plaintiff asserts that the lease contained a one-year statute of limitations for any claims by defendant for misrepresentation, products liability, breach of warranty, default or any other claim, and defendant’s claims are thus time-barred.

Defendant opposes the motion on several grounds including challenging the validity of the lease, alleging fraud on the part of the equipment vendor, alleging that the terms of the lease constitute an unlawful penalty and the damages are disproportionate to the value of the equipment. Additionally, defendant claims a violation of Judiciary Law § 489, the prohibition against champerty. In opposition, defendant submits an affidavit from Hilary Becker, president of defendant corporation.

Initially, defendant argues that the subject lease is invalid because it was signed by a “former contractor”

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
24 Misc. 3d 912, 885 N.Y.S.2d 173, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/national-city-commercial-capital-co-v-becker-real-estate-services-inc-nysupct-2009.